The Canon Camera Hackers Manual

The Canon Camera Hackers Manual Berthold Daum The Canon Camera Hackers Manual Teach Your Camera New Tricks Berthol...

Author: Berthold Daum

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The Canon Camera Hackers Manual

Berthold Daum

The Canon Camera Hackers Manual Teach Your Camera New Tricks

Berthold Daum, [email protected] Editor: Gerhard Rossbach Production Editor: Jimi DeRouen Copyeditor: Cynthia Anderson Layout and type: Petra Strauch, [email protected] Cover design: Helmut Kraus, www.exclam.de Printer: Malloy, Ann Arbor, Michigan Printed in USA

ISBN 978-1-933952-58-1 1st Edition © 2010 Berthold Daum Rocky Nook, Inc. 26 West Mission Street, Ste 3 Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2432 www.rockynook.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Daum, Berthold, 1949The Canon camera hackers manual / Berthold Daum. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-933952-58-1 (alk. paper) 1. Canon digital cameras--Automatic control. 2. Digital cameras--Modification. I. Title. TR263.C3D37 2010 771.3’3--dc22 2010005926

Distributed by O‘Reilly Media 1005 Gravenstein Highway North Sebastopol, CA 95472 All product names and services identified throughout this book are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. They are used throughout this book in editorial fashion only. No such uses, or the use of any trade name, are intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with the book. No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission of the copyright owner. While reasonable care has been exercised in the preparation of this book, the publisher and authors assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. All photographs and illustrations by the author. This book is printed on acid-free paper.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

1

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1

2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.3.1 2.3.2 2.3.3

Cameras and Operating Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Camera hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Processors and operating systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The CHDK: What it is and how it works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How it works. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What the CHDK can do for you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 3 5 5 5 6 7

3 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5

Installing the CHDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Does a CHDK exist for my camera? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Downloading the CHDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Manual installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The warranty question . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11 11 11 12 13 14

4 4.1 4.2 4.2.1 4.2.2 4.2.3 4.2.4 4.2.5 4.2.6 4.2.7 4.2.8 4.2.9 4.3 4.3.1 4.3.2 4.3.3 4.3.4 4.3.5

Teach Your Camera New Tricks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using menus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customizing the user interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OSD Codepage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fonts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Organizing the screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . User menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miscellaneous Values. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customizing the DOF calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other user interface options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Overrides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Custom Auto ISO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Histogram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zebra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . High-speed photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

17 17 18 18 18 19 19 22 22 24 26 27 28 28 31 33 35 36

v

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4.3.6 4.3.7 4.3.8 4.4 4.5 4.5.1 4.5.2 4.5.3 4.5.4 4.5.5 4.5.6 4.6 4.6.1 4.6.2 4.6.3 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.9.1 4.9.2 4.9.3 4.9.4 4.9.5 4.10 4.10.1 4.10.2 4.10.3 4.11 4.11.1 4.11.2 4.12

Night photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shooting RAW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DNG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other RAW parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Processing RAW images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In-camera RAW processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . More RAW processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bracketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . General bracketing notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HDR and tone mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Focus stacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edge overlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . More video options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remote control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHDK remote control functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Building a simple remote control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SDM functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Extra hardware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tethered shooting? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . File browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Text file reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Getting information about the camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Novelty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flashlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The CHDK configuration file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

38 40 41 45 46 46 48 50 51 52 53 55 55 57 60 63 64 66 66 67 68 69 69 70 70 71 72 73 73 74 74

5 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.3.1 5.3.2 5.3.3 5.3.4 5.3.5

Scripting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Launching and configuring scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . uBasic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . uBasic primer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conditional clauses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Case structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

77 77 79 85 85 85 86 86 87

TABLE OF CONTENTS

5.3.6 5.3.7 5.3.8 5.3.9 5.3.10 5.4 5.4.1 5.4.2 5.4.3 5.4.4 5.4.5 5.4.6 5.4.7 5.4.8 5.4.9 5.4.10 5.4.11 5.4.12 5.4.13 5.5 5.5.1 5.5.2 5.5.3 5.5.4 5.5.5 5.5.6 5.5.7 5.5.8 5.5.9 5.5.10 5.5.11 5.5.12 5.6 5.7 5.7.1 5.7.2 5.7.3 5.7.4 5.7.5 5.7.6 5.8

Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Labels and GOTOs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Subroutines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Script structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lua primer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Strings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assignments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conditional clauses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Error handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Script structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Standard Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHDK commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Button-related commands: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exposure-related commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Focus-related commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zoom-related commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flash-related commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Image-related commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Time-related commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Display-related commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Image management commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Camera state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Low-level commands (Lua only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The library capmode.lua (Lua only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Property Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Example scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Time machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bracketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Motion detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exposure control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remote control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Configuration switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Script development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

88 89 90 91 91 92 92 93 93 94 94 95 95 96 99 100 101 101 101 112 112 114 119 120 121 121 122 122 123 124 126 127 128 139 140 159 164 180 182 186 194

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6 6.1 6.2 6.3

Advanced Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Panoramas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HDR Panoramas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HDR videos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

197 197 200 203

7 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.6.1 7.6.2 7.7 7.7.1 7.7.2 7.7.3 7.7.4 7.7.5 7.8 7.9

The Stereo Data Maker (SDM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installing the SDM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Additional functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remote control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . USB upload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Serial communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stereo photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stereo photography with a single camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Producing and viewing composite stereo images . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stereo focus stacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Synchronized cameras. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Synchronized flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Digiscoping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scripting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

205 205 207 207 208 209 211 211 211 212 213 217 217 218 221 222 224

8 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4

Kites, Balloons, and Multikopters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kite Aerial Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Balloon-based photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Motorized flying platforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Other unattended operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

231 231 232 233 233

9 9.1 9.2 9.3

A Look across the Fence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Canon EOS CHDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Canon 5D as a professional movie camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pentax hacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

235 235 235 236

Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A.1 Using cards with more than 4 GB capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A.2 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A.3 Web links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A.4 Contributing to the CHDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A.5 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

237 237 239 241 242 243

Index

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

1

1

Introduction

On Sept. 2, 2009, a group of MIT students launched a balloon with a digital camera into near space to take photographs of the earth (http:// space.1337arts.com). Five hours later, the camera returned from the flight, having reached a height of 17.5 miles. All of the equipment was put together from off-the-shelf components (balloon, parachute, camera, GPS tracker, etc.) and did not cost more than $150. Several missions similar to this one had been completed before by other groups, but not at such a low cost. For example, in 2008, an Italian group launched a digital camera into space taking both photos and videos (http://www.francescobonomi.it/ ICBNN). Both projects used Canon compact cameras for taking pictures. The MIT students used a Canon A470, the Italian group a Digital Elph SD 1100 IS (Ixus 80 IS). In addition, both cameras were equipped with the CHDK, the Canon Hack Development Kit. Despite its intimidating name, the CHDK is a readyto-run piece of software that can be installed on the camera’s memory card and that enhances the camera with many new features. In the abovementioned space missions, the CHDK determined when to begin shooting and in what intervals. In the case of the SD 1100 IS, the CHDK also ran a shutter priority exposure program that the camera normally does not offer. These are only a few tricks that the CHDK has up its sleeve. RAW shooting, live histograms, remote control, ultrashort and ultralong exposure times, time-lapsing, motion detection, exposure and focus bracketing, camera automation with scripts, and, and, and… More than a few highpriced DSLRs would be proud to have such features. No wonder the CHDK has hit the columns of nearly every photography-related magazine and e-zine around the world. Today, the CHDK can be regarded as a mature product that is robust enough for the most demanding missions. It is available in many languages. The documentation, too, such as manuals and tutorials, is rapidly improving. There is a lively online community at http://chdk.setepontos.com/.

How this book is organized We start with an introduction to Canon compact cameras and the operating systems they use. An introduction to the CHDK—what it is and why you should use it—completes chapter 2.

2

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Chapter 3 deals with how to install the CHDK—both utility-augmented installation on a PC and manual installation by utilizing camera functions. Chapter 4 discusses the out-of-the-box functions of the CHDK. First, we examine how to tame the beast—at times, the information overflow can be overwhelming. Then we unleash it again: advanced exposure control, ultrashort and ultralong exposure times, manual focusing, shooting RAW, bracketing, edge overlay, remote control, etc. Chapter 5 then turns your camera into a robot via scripting in uBasic and Lua. After short introductions to these programming languages, we discuss scripts for time lapse, bracketing, motion detection, exposure control, and configuration switching. Chapter 6 covers some advanced techniques: large panoramas, superwide-angle shots, and combining High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography with panoramas and time-lapse movies. A CHDK spin-off, the Stereo Data Maker (SDM) is discussed in chapter 7. Shooting 3D stereo images is an important topic in this chapter, along with the strong capabilities of the SDM for remote photography, communication with external devices, and Digiscoping. Application of the SDM (and CHDK) to areas such as Kite Aerial Photography (KAP), balloon-based photography, and other remote platforms is discussed in chapter 8. Chapter 9 takes a short look at similar “camera enhancement” projects, such as the EOS-CHDK, MagicLantern (which turns the Canon EOS 5D into a professional movie camera), and the Pentax project. Finally, the appendix contains information on using memory cards of more than 4 GB with the CHDK. There is a section with important web links and another section with tips in case you run into trouble. Finally, you’ll find out how to contribute to the further development of the CHDK.

Acknowledgments First and foremost, I wish to thank the publishers. Thanks go to my lector, René Schönfeld, at dpunkt.verlag Heidelberg for co-parenting the idea of writing a book about the CHDK; and to Gerhard Rossbach, publisher at Rocky Nook, Santa Barbara, for his enthusiasm. Copyediting was done by Cynthia Anderson, typesetting and graphic design by Petra Strauch, Just in Print. Thanks go also to Alice Philipp, my partner in life, for her patience and support. This book would not have been possible without the many volunteers who have contributed to the CHDK in various forms: the initial creators of the CHDK core, VitalyB and GrAnd; later contributors such as Fingalo, Juciphox, MicroFunguy, and others; the volunteers who ported (and continue to port) the CHDK to new cameras; the many script, documentation, and utility authors; and the whole vibrant CHDK community that continues to improve an already strong product. With this book, I hope to give something back to the community.

2.1

2

Cameras and Operating Systems

Before turning to the virtues of the CHDK, let’s first have a look at some of the platforms the CHDK runs on. As its name suggests, the CHDK runs on Canon cameras. Specifically, the classic form of the CHDK runs on Canon compact cameras, such as Powershot and Digital Elph (Digital IXUS). For the still-experimental (at time of writing) EOS-CHDK, please see section 9.1.

2.1

Camera hardware

Practically all digital Canon compact cameras (and all of the newer camera models) are equipped with a zoom lens, allowing for an optical zoom range from 1:3 to 1:20+. The optical zoom can be extended via an optional digital zoom. All zoom lenses are equipped with a macro function, which again can be extended with a digital macro. Digital zoom and digital macro come at a cost, however: they reduce image resolution because only a part of the sensor is used for the final image. Most Canon cameras are equipped with an optical image stabilizer; usually, these cameras carry the suffix “IS” in their name. “Optical” means that a lens element is moved to counteract camera shake. With this technique, it is possible to increase exposure times by a factor of 2–16 (1–4 f-stops) when shooting without a tripod. An image stabilizer is a very useful feature, especially for telephoto shots and for shooting in low light conditions. Most Canon cameras use CCD (charge coupled device) type sensors; only a few use CMOS type sensors. Smaller models have sensors with a diameter of 1/2.5 inch (10 mm), while larger models have sensors with a diameter of 1/1.7 inch (14.9 mm). The focal length conversion factors are 6.2 and 4.6 respectively, compared to the 35mm format. For most Canon cameras, the resulting image is delivered in the form of a JPEG file with selectable resolutions and formats, and selectable compression ratios. Top-range cameras offer an option to deliver the RAW sensor data, too. Actually, the prime motivation behind the development of the CHDK was to enable smaller, low-cost cameras to deliver sensor data in RAW format. It should be mentioned that digital zoom and digital macro do not work with RAW format; the format delivers the pure sensor data without any post-processing.

Camera hardware

3

4

CHAPTER 2


For the smaller models—especially the Digital Elph (Ixus) series—the shutter mechanism consists of a simple mechanical shutter plus an electronic shutter. Because the circuitry for the electronic shutter requires some space on the sensor chip, less sensor area is left for the light-sensitive parts—resulting in a less than optimal signal-to-noise ratio compared to a DSLR. Therefore, the top-of-the-range Powershot models, such as the G-series, use a mechanical shutter in order not to sacrifice valuable sensor real estate. Similarly, the lenses of the low-cost cameras are not equipped with a diaphragm but rather with an ND (neutral density) filter that is switched on when the scene becomes too bright. Because the lens is always used at full aperture, it is not possible to increase the depth of sharpness (DOF) by stopping down with these cameras. Variations in brightness and shutter speed are compensated for by the ND filter and by changing the sensor’s sensitivity (ISO speed). Higher-priced cameras are equipped with a traditional diaphragm. All Canon cameras are, of course, equipped with autofocus (AF) and automatic exposure (AE) control. Newer models even have face detection. Only the top-range models allow for manual control of focus, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. With the CHDK, manual control of focus and exposure is achieved for all models—within the physical limits of the camera, of course. All Canon cameras are equipped with an internal flash unit. Some larger cameras offer the option of connecting an external flash as well. Unfortunately, not all cameras allow fine-tuned manual control of the flash power. As a result, flash images can often look unnatural and flat. In many cases, the flash is too bright. The CHDK allows a manual flash on all models with three different power settings, resulting in more natural-looking flash images. All Canon cameras are equipped with a video function, in some cases an HD video function. Because the camera’s image sensor has a much higher resolution than a video frame, digital zoom (Digital Converter) can be utilized to a certain degree for video shots without losing quality. In most cases, the optical zoom is disabled during video shooting, as the zoom motor’s noise would ruin the soundtrack. With the CHDK, this behavior can be overridden (for some cameras) and the optical zoom can be used while shooting video (section 4.8). Some editing will be required, however, for the soundtrack. The built-in audio facility (microphone and audio digitizer) that is used for the video soundtrack can be used for photos, too. Voice notes can be attached to photos, or the camera can be utilized as a dictating machine.

2.2

2.2

Processors and operating systems

5

Processors and operating systems

Since 2002, Canon has used the DIGIC processor in all of its digital cameras, including the EOS DSLRs. The original DIGIC processor was followed in 2004 by the DIGIC II processor, which combines all functions on a single chip (the original processor needed three chips). DIGIC II was followed in 2007 by DIGIC III, which brought new features such as face recognition and iSAPS scene-recognition technology. DIGIC IV was introduced in 2008 and features faster and better image processing and live face detection. DIGIC II and some DIGIC III processors are equipped with the VxWorks operating system from Wind River Systems. In 2007, Canon introduced its own operating system called DryOS that has been used since then on most DIGIC III and DIGIC IV platforms. DryOS can run on more than 10 different processor types. Compact cameras using the DryOS are: A470, A480, A580, A590 IS, A650 IS, A720 IS, A1000 IS, A1100 IS, A2000 IS, A2100 IS, D10, E1, G9, G10, G11, SD1100 IS (IXUS80 IS), SD770 IS (IXUS85 IS), SD780 IS (IXUS100IS), SD790 IS (IXUS90 IS), SD1200 IS (IXUS95 IS), SD960 IS (IXUS110 IS), SD940 IS (IXUS120 IS), SD980 IS (IXUS200 IS), SD870 IS (IXUS860 IS), SD880 IS (IXUS870 IS), SD950 IS (IXUS960 IS), S5 IS, S90, SX1 IS, SX10 IS, SX20 IS, SX100 IS, SX110 IS, and SX200 IS. The distinction between the operating systems is important because some CHDK scripting functions depend on the operating systems. Scripts utilizing these functions usually run only on the platform they were developed for, or they must implement special provisions for cross-platform operation. Developing platform-dependent scripts is fine for home use. When publishing scripts for a larger audience, however, portable scripts are definitely the preferred solution. Newer versions of the CHDK allow access to most camera functions in a platform-independent way, so that with some care, portable scripts can be developed without much difficulty.

2.3

The CHDK: What it is and how it works

2.3.1 History The development of the CHDK began in 2006 with the Russian programmer VitalyB. Studying the disassembly of a firmware upgrade for a Canon IXUS camera, he was able to analyze the upgrade process and write a program that would boot from the card and take control of the camera. With the help of this program, he was able to read out (dump) the original Canon operating system from the camera to a PC. Data transfer used the blue camera LED and a phototransistor, a method still employed today with some cameras.

Figure 2-1 The CHDK logo shows up during the boot process of the CHDK. The logo display can be switched off via the CHDK menu function ALT > MENU > Miscellaneous Stuff > Show Splash Screen on Load.

6

CHAPTER 2


The first build of the CHDK enabled the camera (an A610) to deliver RAW 10-bit sensor data in combination with JPEG images, allowing true RAW processing for a consumer camera. Apart from the RAW format, this first version supported live histograms, scripting, and three-exposure bracketing. Scripting was made possible through the inclusion of the uBasic interpreter, created earlier by Swedish programmer Adam Dunkel. The program proved so useful that versions for other cameras soon followed. This was first done for cameras with the VxWorks operating system; cameras with the DryOS operating system should follow later. For each camera (in fact, for each firmware version), it is necessary to read out the firmware from the camera and analyze it in order to link the additional functions to the original firmware (section A.4). In 2007, another programmer, GrAnd, joined the CHDK community and added numerous features such as the on-screen display (OSD) of focal distance, zoom step and factor, hyperfocal distance, DOF calculator, shadow and highlight clipping warnings, battery meter, and much more. An article in DP Review about the new features brought public attention to the CHDK. More developers joined the CHDK community. This initially resulted in different branches of the CHDK, each with its own set of special functions. Particularly notable are MX3’s build with motion detection, Fingalo’s build with much-improved uBasic scripting functionality and USB support, and Juciphox’s build with support for Lua scripting. Today, the official CHDK— the MoreBest build—integrates many of these additional functions.

2.3.2 How it works Canon cameras perform several steps when switched on: f First, the camera’s firmware checks the memory card. If the card is

write-protected, and if it contains a file named DISKBOOT.BIN in its root directory, then this file is loaded and executed. This allows almost any program in the camera to be infiltrated. f If such a file is not found, the normal start-up process continues. This includes the launch of four different native tasks that run in parallel and manage the different units of the camera: g The Logging task takes care of the camera’s display unit. It is responsible for presenting information to the user. g The Keyboard task monitors the camera’s buttons for key presses. g The Image-capturing task is responsible for exposure and focus control and for reading the data from the sensor. g The File-system task is responsible for writing images to the memory card and managing the card’s file system.

2.3


7

The CHDK adds an additional task that manages the CHDK functions. In addition, the CHDK needs hooks in the native tasks to communicate with them. Therefore, the CHDK loader embodied in the file DISKBOOT.BIN performs the following steps: f Copies the core CHDK code into a suitable memory location within the

camera. Of course, this is only possible if the camera has enough free memory. On some cameras this is not the case, and limited or no CHDK support is possible. f Restarts the camera with the CHDK code as the entry point. Instead of the native boot process, the CHDK boot process is now performed. This process will: g Launch the CHDK task. g Add hooks to the native tasks (logging task, keyboard task, imagecapturing task, file-system task) while loading and launching those tasks. In this way, the changes applied to the native firmware are only temporary and remain minimal. Unfortunately, the position of the hooks is different for every firmware version, so a different CHDK version is required for each firmware version. The main task of migrating the CHDK code to a new camera is to find out the correct position of the required hooks (section A.4).

2.3.3 What the CHDK can do for you RAW images One of the most outstanding functions of the CHDK (and historically the first) is the ability to deliver and process RAW sensor data. The popularity of RAW image processing relies on the fact that RAW files contain the full information gathered by the sensor. The JPEG format, in contrast, resamples the 10-, 12-, or 14-bit pixel values down to an 8-bit scheme. This can result in washed-out highlights. PC-based RAW converters, on the other hand, are able to recover at least some of the blown-out highlights. An additional problem with the JPEG format is interpolation. Sensor cells responsive for red, green, and blue light are placed side by side. Therefore, interpolation is required to compute a complete pixel value as required by the JPEG format. PC-based RAW converters (section 4.5.4) can do a better job than the tiny processor within the camera, resulting in improved sharpness and fewer artifacts such as moirés. Another advantage of the RAW format is that processing decisions, such as white point and color space (e.g., sRGB, AdobeRGB), can be postponed until the image is in the development phase on the PC. There, the photographer can try out different settings without risking loss of image detail.

Figure 2-2 The CHDK main menu organizes the numerous functions into 11 groups. The menu is obtained by changing into mode (chapter 4), then pressing the MENU button.

8

CHAPTER 2


Recent versions of the CHDK are able to deliver RAW data in the popular DNG format, created by Adobe as a camera-manufacturer-independent RAW format. It’s a sensible choice; manufacturers of premium cameras such as Hasselblad, Leica, and Pentax have chosen it as their native RAW output format.

Scripting and motion detection An outstanding feature of the CHDK is its ability to automate tasks by writing a script. While older versions of the CHDK support only the easy but rather simplistic scripting language uBasic, newer versions come with built-in support for the more advanced Lua language, which is also used by Adobe Lightroom for automation purposes. With scripting, it becomes possible to shoot long time series or to let the camera operate autonomously, as in unmanned aerial missions. A rather surprising feature of both uBasic and Lua is the possibility of motion detection. Under the control of a script, the camera shoots when motion occurs within the image field, or if a detected motion stops. The CHDK uses the camera sensor for this purpose, allowing highly configurable motion detection without the need for extra hardware.

More control Most Canon compact cameras operate automatically. If they offer a manual mode, it enables you to dial in correction values for exposure but does not allow you to set explicit values for shutter speed, aperture, or ISO speed, or to focus manually. The CHDK, in contrast, enables you to do exactly that. Not only is it possible to dial in precise values for shutter speed, aperture, ISO speed, or focus distance, but the range of available shutter speeds is significantly expanded. Extremely short shutter speeds, such as 1/60,000 sec., and extremely long exposure times are possible under the control of the CHDK, depending on the physical limits of the camera. For video clips, it becomes possible to influence the video quality, and on some cameras, to enable the optical zoom while shooting video.

Better information While these possibilities extend the application range of the camera, the additional OSD (On Screen Display) provides greater control over the general image-making process. This starts with a battery meter that gives you a precise readout (in percent) of the remaining battery power. This feature alone makes it worth installing the CHDK, because shooting sessions and battery usage can be planned in a much better way. Precise exposure control is achieved through a highly configurable live histogram and the

2.3


9

display of zebra areas (over- and underexposed image areas masked with a zebra pattern) that allow you to judge exposure before shooting. These information items can be arranged freely on the screen with the help of the built-in OSD editor. The Edge Overlay feature is also very useful. When switched on, the contours of a shot are extracted and appear as an overlay on the display. This allows you to align the following shots to the overlay, and thus to the previous shot. This is particularly useful when shooting panoramas, for bracketing work such as HDR photography or focus stacking, or for shooting 3D stereo images with a single camera. Unfortunately, this feature does not work in video mode where it could be useful for connecting different takes.

Remote control While Canon EOS cameras allow full remote control, there are no provisions of that kind for most compact cameras. Again, the CHDK adds that feature to supported compact cameras and enables remote control through the camera’s USB port—including shutter release, zooming, and the possibility of remote functionality in scripts.

Utilities and games Finally, the CHDK comes with a number of useful utilities such as a file browser, which allows you to browse the memory card’s file system and to delete files and folders. There is also a calendar and a text file reader (for example, to read script documentation), and finally, a number of games in case you get bored. Figure 2-3 An incentive to always take your camera with you: games in the camera’s display (here, Reversi). A battery indicator keeps you informed about the remaining power for shooting.

10

CHAPTER 2


3.1

3

Installing the CHDK

3.1

Requirements

Installing the CHDK requires you to prepare the camera’s SD card and install the CHDK onto that card. To do so, you need: f An SD card with no more than 4 GB. Larger cards can be used with the

CHDK on some cameras, but some features such as AUTORUN will not work. Therefore, it is better to stick with cards that have no more than 4 GB of memory1. f A suitable card reader. Modern notebooks are usually equipped with such a card reader. Alternatively, an external device can be connected to the USB port. They don’t cost an arm and a leg. f Some knowledge of navigating file systems and downloading and installing software.

3.2

Does a CHDK exist for my camera?

Each camera model requires its own build of the CHDK. To be more precise, each firmware version of the camera’s operating system requires its own CHDK build. So, once you have established that your camera model is supported by the CHDK2, you have to find out the firmware version of your camera. Normally, your camera does not show this information. It must be enabled to do so, and this is done by placing a small file named ver.req (for version request) into the root directory of the memory card. On Windows systems, this is easily done by inserting the card into a card reader, downloading the program CardTricks (http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CardTricks), and formatting the card as FAT (provided that you use a card with no more than 4 GB of memory). If you have important content on the card, make sure to copy it to other media first!

1 2

A discussion about using memory cards with more than 4 GB is found in the appendix. The supported camera models are listed at http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/ CHDK.

Requirements

11

12

CHAPTER 3

Installing the CHDK

Figure 3-1 The CardTricks control screen. New cards usually come formatted in the FAT32 file system. They must be reformatted in the FAT file system. With large cards, the button Format as FAT will automatically change to Format as FAT32.

CardTricks will create the file ver.req during that process. Now you may insert the card into the camera. Then: 1. 2. 3. 4.

Figure 3-2

Switch the camera off. Switch the camera to Playback Mode. Switch the camera on again. Press FUNC/SET. While keeping FUNC/SET pressed, press DISP. Now you should be able to read the firmware version number from the screen. It should be something like Firmware Ver GM1.01B. If you get the clock instead, you were not quick enough in pressing the DISP button.

This is how the camera display should look after pressing FUNC/SET and DISP. By keeping FUNC/SET pressed and

If this does not work, try to rename the file to vers.req. Some newer cameras work with this file name.

pressing DISP more than once, you can scroll down the screen to show additional information.

3.3

Downloading the CHDK

Now go back to the CardTricks utility and press the Download CHDK button. This will launch your web browser and open the URL http://mighty-hoernsche.de/. Find your camera and the firmware version, and click on the link to start the download. The website actually lists two downloadables for each camera and each firmware version—a complete bundle with CHDK, example scripts, fonts, and other goodies; and a smaller version with just the core CHDK. Don’t hesitate to download the larger version—the difference of 200 KB is hardly noticeable even on the tiny 256 MB cards supplied with your camera. Before the downloaded software can be transferred to your camera, you should make your memory card bootable. Just reinsert the card into the card reader and press the Make Bootable button in CardTricks.

3.4

Manual installation

Now you may transfer the CHDK to your card. Press the button CHDK > Card and select the downloaded file. CardTricks will simply unzip this file into the card. Remove the card from the card reader. Set the write protection by moving the little slider away from the contacts. This will enable the AUTORUN feature. Don’t be afraid, the camera will still be able to write pictures to the card. The CHDK will see to that. Figure 3-3 4 GB SD card with the slider in write-protection position.

Finished. Keep your fingers crossed and insert the card into your camera. Switch the camera on. Shortly after the Canon splash screen, the CHDK splash screen will appear. If this is the case, you have successfully installed the CHDK on your Canon camera.

3.4

Manual installation

CardTricks is a Windows-based program. If you work with a Mac3 or with Linux, you will not be able to use it (though it might be possible through an emulator). But there is another method to get the CHDK up and running: 1. First, format the card with the FAT16 file system. This must be done with a card reader and a computer—the camera would format your card with FAT32. (On the Macintosh, invoke the terminal program and enter “df” to start the harddisk manager. Then enter a formatting command such as “newfs_msdos -F16 /dev/cardname” where “cardname” is the volume name of your card.) 2. Then, make an educated guess at your firmware version. Download the corresponding CHDK binaries and unpack them to your card. Again, you need a card reader to do so. 3

A script for easy installation on the Mac is found on http://chdk.wikia.com/ wiki/FAQ/Mac.

13

14

CHAPTER 3

Installing the CHDK

Figure 3-4 The Firm Update ... function of the camera can be used to load and activate the CHDK.

3. The distribution contains a file ver.req or vers.req. This allows you to determine the real firmware version as described in section 3.2. If it does not match your guess, download the correct version and unpack it into your card. 4. Now you are ready to boot manually. Leave the camera in Playback Mode and insert the card. Press MENU and navigate down to the last item (Firm update…). Press FUNC/SET, select the OK button, and confirm again with FUNC/SET. The CHDK is loaded and will soon show the CHDK splash screen. It stays loaded until the camera is switched off. Actually, no firmware upgrade was performed! The Firm update… function was just hitchhiked by the CHDK. 5. To enable the AUTORUN function, you must make your card bootable. That can be done with the CHDK, too. Press the ALT key (chapter 4) followed by the MENU key to invoke the CHDK menu. Navigate to Miscellaneous stuff > Make Card Bootable… and press FUNC/SET. 6. Switch the camera off, remove the card, and lock the card to enable AUTORUN mode. Insert the card again and switch the camera on. CHDK will now boot automatically each time the camera is switched on— until you disengage the write protection lock. Once you have installed the CHDK on your card, you should, as a matter of fact, avoid formatting your card to get rid of images. Formatting would also delete the CHDK and require a complete reinstallation. Instead, you have two options for deleting obsolete pictures: f Use the camera’s original delete functions to delete images. Switch the

camera to Playback Mode, press MENU, and select Erase… Then you can delete by selection, by folder, or all images. There is a hitch: the camera will Figure 3-5

only show JPEG images or folders containing JPEG images. RAW and DNG

The CHDK submenu Miscellaneous.

images obtained through the CHDK (section 4.5) are not shown and not

The entry Make Card Bootable… does exactly what it says.

deleted. f Use the file browser provided by the CHDK (section 4.10.1). Press ALT (chapter 4) followed by MENU. Then select Miscellaneous Stuff > File Browser and navigate to the folder that you want to delete. Press DISP and answer the prompt with Yes.

3.5

The warranty question

The big question for many camera owners is: what about the manufacturer’s warranty when I install the CHDK in the camera? We don’t think that there should be a problem. The CHDK is installed on the memory card.

3.5

The camera is obviously designed to load and execute software found on the card—the situation is similar to fitting a third-party lens to a DSLR. The CHDK alters neither the camera nor the camera’s firmware in any way. Reformat the card (or use a fresh card), and the CHDK is gone. The camera continues to run under its original firmware. In fact, before sending in the camera for warranty, you should remove any memory cards from the camera. A camera equipped with a CHDK-enabled card may disturb service technicians and make their job difficult. In addition, the card may also contain images that you don’t want to share with others.

The warranty question

15

16

CHAPTER 3

4.1

4

Using menus

17

Teach Your Camera New Tricks

We have already mentioned the ALT key. Use it to switch the camera into mode (or CHDK mode) where all CHDK menus and scripts are accessible. Note that while in mode, none of the keys (including the shutter release) work in the traditional way. To return to normal operation, you must leave mode. This is done with another click on the ALT key. mode is indicated by a small sign at the bottom of the display (blue in Recording Mode and white in Playback Mode). Now, where is this mysterious key? There is no key on your camera labeled ALT. In fact, the actual key acting as the ALT key varies from camera to camera: f A series and SD series: the Print button is used. A short press (like a click)

is sufficient; a long press will either have no effect or invoke a native camera function. f G series and S series: the Shortcut button is used by default. Actually, the ALT function can be assigned to the Shortcut, Flash, Timer, ISO, or Video buttons.

4.1

Using menus

Invoking the CHDK menu is almost as simple as invoking the native menu. Switch to the mode by pressing the ALT button, and then press the MENU button. You can exit the menu by pressing the MENU button again or by pressing the ALT button, which will also leave mode and return to normal mode. Some menus are too large to be displayed on the screen. In this case, the menu shows a scroll bar at the right-hand side. Use the UP and DOWN buttons to scroll to the desired position. Menu items are either parameters or submenus. A right arrow identifies submenus. To open a submenu, press the FUNC/SET button. To return from a submenu to the higher menu level, navigate to the last item on the screen which should be named Back. Press FUNC/SET on that item. Alternatively, you can press the DISP button to return to the parent menu. Pressing the LEFT, RIGHT, or FUNC/SET buttons changes values in the other menu entries. The change immediately becomes active—an extra

Figure 4-1 The Extra Photo Operations submenu. The scroll bar on the right-hand side indicates that the menu is scrolled down to the bottom. The last entry, the Back entry, leads back to the main menu. This submenu has two child submenus: Bracketing in Continuous Mode and Custom Auto ISO.

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confirmation is not required. Simply leave the menu by pressing the MENU or ALT button when you are finished. Some entries have a large value range and dialing in the desired value with the LEFT or RIGHT button would be very tedious indeed. Therefore, the CHDK programmers have equipped such entries with a child entry named Value Factor that usually has the values Off, 1, 10, 100, etc. The value selected here is multiplied by the value of the parent entry. For example, if you dialed in a value of 40 for the entry Override ISO Value (Figure 4-1) and selected a value of 10 in the child entry Value Factor, you would be specifying an ISO speed of 40*10 = 400. Selecting the value Off in the Value Factor disables the parent entry. In this example, selecting Off for Value Factor would switch off the manual override of the ISO speed and return to the camera’s native ISO speed control system.

4.2

Customizing the user interface

The CHDK has many functions to customize the user interface. Most of these functions are found in the submenu Visual Settings. Here you can change the language of the CHDK menus. (The language of the native camera menus is changed separately. Consult your camera’s user manual to do so.) You can change the OSD Codepage to allow for different national characters. You can also select between plain, bold, serif, and sans serif fonts in different sizes, and switch between differently sized symbols (10 or 16 pixels). Figure 4-2 The Visual Settings submenu. The first

4.2.1 OSD Codepage

entries are dedicated to language, code page, font, and symbols, while the rest of the entries are used to specify the text and background colors of the different information items. Note that the font settings apply to menus only, not to OSD text.

By default, the CHDK is set up with the OSD Codepage Win1251 that supports the Cyrillic alphabet (the CHDK was originally created by a Russian programmer). For English, Spanish, or other Western languages, switch the codepage to Win1252. Invoke ALT > MENU > Visual Setting > OSD Codepage… and press FUNC/SET to select Win1252 (Figure 4-2).

4.2.2 Fonts By default, the CHDK uses the smallest font available for its menus, thus maximizing the number of menu items displayed on one page. Depending on your eyesight, you may want to select a larger font. For me, this has very much increased the joy of using the CHDK. Invoke ALT > MENU > Visual

4.2


19

Setting > Menu RBF Font…, press FUNC/SET and select a font that suits you, or press MENU to escape. Note: Not every font supports all national characters. If the national characters of the chosen language do not appear correctly, select a different font. You may have to repeat this process a few times until you find a satisfying solution. Hint: To switch back to the default font, just select a non-font file.

4.2.3 Colors The rest of the submenu Visual Settings is dedicated to colors. Both the text color and the background color can be changed for different information items. The default background color is a semi-transparent, neutral gray. To change a color, press FUNC/SET on the color entry. This brings you into the color chooser. Select a suitable color with the LEFT, RIGHT, UP, and DOWN buttons. Commit the selection with FUNC/SET or cancel with MENU. Both transparent and opaque colors are available.

Figure 4-3 The CHDK file browser is used to select a font for displaying menu items.

4.2.4 Organizing the screen The amount of information the CHDK is able to show on the display is amazing—almost any camera state can be displayed on the screen. Therefore, it becomes mandatory to select the information carefully and to arrange its layout properly. Otherwise, you would be overwhelmed by an information overload that would be disturbing in shooting situations instead of being helpful. Most of these settings are found in the submenu OSD. Let’s discuss these settings one by one: f Show OSD. Here you can specify whether you want to show the CHDK

OSD information at all. Note that this setting does not affect the native OSD information. It also does not affect the Edge Overlay, the Histogram, or the Zebra function. Simply press FUNC/SET to switch the CHDK OSD on or off. f The corresponding entry Hide in? specifies when to show the OSD information if it is switched on. Select Don’t if you do not want to hide the OSD at all, select In Playb if you want to hide the CHDK OSD during playback mode, select On Disp if you want to hide the CHDK OSD together with the native OSD (which probably makes the most sense), or select both if you want to hide it in both situations. Unfortunately, this setting does not affect all CHDK OSD information items. The only way

Figure 4-4 The OSD submenu. This image was compiled from two subsequent screenshots.

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f

f

f

f f

f

f

Figure 4-5 The OSD layout editor in action. The status bar (top left) displays the currently selected layout item (Histogram), its x/y-position, and the step width(s). The step width can be changed between 1 and 10 via the DISP button.

to get a completely clean screen is to switch off the CHDK OSD completely (see above). Center Menu. Displays the CHDK menus in the center of the screen if switched on. If switched off, the CHDK menus are aligned to the top of the screen. Auto select 1st entry @ menu. When switched on, the first item of a freshly opened menu is selected automatically. If switched off, no item will be selected. Enable Symbols. Determines whether symbols should be shown at the beginning of each menu item. I find the information value of these symbols rather limited and I can read the menu easier without the symbols. For the User Menu entries, please see section 4.2.5. Show State Displays. Determines whether the settings made in the submenus Extra Photo Operations (section 4.3.1) and Custom Curves (section 4.3.8) should be displayed on screen. Show temperature. Determines if and when temperature should be displayed on screen (Off, Optical, CCD, Battery, All). This can be useful when operating in a very hot or cold climate. (The optical temperature is the temperature of the lens elements and is the closest one to the environment temperature.) The temperature reading is in degrees Celsius if the following menu entry in Fahrenheit is not switched on. OSD Layout Editor. This entry allows you to modify the layout of the OSD information items on the screen. For this purpose, the CHDK organizes the information items into groups: histogram, DOF calculator, exposure status display, remaining RAW images, miscellaneous values (focal length and other values), battery symbol, memory card symbol, vertical memory usage bar, horizontal memory usage bar, battery text, memory usage text, clock, temperature, remaining video time, EV correction factor photo, and EV display video. By pressing the FUNC/SET key repeatedly, you can select between these groups in the given sequence. The selected group is shown with a green frame. To modify the position of the selected group on the screen, simply press the LEFT, RIGHT, UP, and DOWN buttons. You can leave the editor with the MENU button.

4.2


f Grid. See section 4.2.6 for this submenu. f Miscellaneous values. See section 4.2.7 for this submenu. f DOF Calculator. See section 4.2.8 for this submenu. f RAW. The RAW Showing submenu controls the display of information

f

f

f

f

related to shooting in RAW format. The entry Show RAW state controls whether RAW-related information is shown at all. If yes, the subentry Show RAW shoot remain controls whether the number of remaining RAW images is shown. A warning is given if this number falls below the value specified in the subentry Warning threshold. Battery. The Battery Showing submenu controls the display of batteryrelated information such as symbol, level (percent), and current voltage. In addition, it allows you to set reference values for the maximum and minimum voltage. When set up correctly, the level will move within the full range from 0 to 100 percent. To use this function, first enable Show Battery Voltage. Now you can determine the voltage of a freshly loaded battery and the voltage of the battery shortly before the camera powers off due to battery exhaustion. When you have found out these values, you may want to dial them in under Battery MAX Voltage and Battery MIN Voltage. Filespace. The Filespace showing submenu controls the display of memory space information. It determines whether to show a filespace icon and a vertical or horizontal space bar. The length and thickness of the bar can be controlled in the subentries Size on screen and Width/Height. The free space in the memory card can be shown as a percentage of its total capacity or as an absolute value in MB. Again, warnings can be given if this free space falls below a defined threshold, which can be specified in both percentage and MB. Clock. The Clock submenu controls the display of the system clock. The entry Show Clock can be switched to Don’t, Normal (hh:mm), and Seconds (hh:mm:ss). The Clock format can be switched to 24h or 12h format, and the 12h clock indicator can be switched between PM, P, and a period. The entry @Shutter halfpress show controls if and how the clock is displayed when the shutter button is half-pressed (Don’t, Full, Seconds (only)). Show OSD in Review Mode. This submenu controls whether OSD information is shown in Review Mode. (Review Mode is activated when you hold the shutter button down after a shot and press FUNC/SET.) On my SD1100, however, this feature seemed to be broken; the OSD information was always shown in this mode, independent of the settings.

Figure 4-6 The RAW showing submenu

Figure 4-7 The Battery showing submenu

Figure 4-8 The Filespace showing submenu

Figure 4-9 The Clock submenu

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4.2.5 User menus

Figure 4-10 Two items control the configuration of the User Menu. Here, the user menu is switched to editing mode.

Figure 4-11

The number of entries in the CHDK menu is quite overwhelming. Searching the same items again and again and stepping through the submenus can be quite tedious. The CHDK therefore offers the option to organize the most important menu items (favorites) into a user-defined menu. This menu is, by default, accessible through ALT > MENU > OSD Parameters > User Menu. If you try this, you will find that the user menu only contains a single item, Main Menu, that leads back to the main menu. This item is always the first item in the user menu. Now, how do you configure your own menu? It’s quite simple: first, you switch the user menu into editing mode. Then you add menu items from the main menu by selecting them: 1. Set the entry User Menu Enable to Edit. 2. Navigate to the menu item that you want to add to the user menu. 3. Half-press the shutter button to add this item to the user menu. On some cameras the FUNC or ERASE button is used instead. 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for more entries. 5. To remove menu items from the user menu, navigate to the user menu, then half-press the shutter button (resp. FUNC or ERASE) on the item to be deleted. 6. In the menu OSD Parameters, set the entry User Menu Enable to On or OnDirect. OnDirect will automatically launch the user menu when you switch to the mode, saving you a click on the MENU button. The MENU button, however, can still be used to launch the main menu or to leave all menus. Alternatively, you can set User Menu Enable to On and enable the option User Menu as Root. This will immediately launch the user menu when you press the MENU button in mode. Another click on MENU will close the user menu. With this option set, the main menu can only be reached through the first entry in the user menu.

A configured user menu. The first item always leads to the main menu; all other items are favorites. As a result,

4.2.6 Grids

you can change the most important settings very quickly.

In the analog days, an exchangeable ground glass was mostly a feature of professional cameras. Today, many professional and semi-professional DSLRs still offer the option of exchanging the ground glass. Some of these screens come with etched grids, which can be especially useful for architectural work and micro- or macrophotography. With digital compact cameras and their electronic viewfinders, grids can be easily shown on the camera’s display. Most of these cameras come with a few built-in grids. For example, my SD1100 offers the option of displaying 3:2 guides and a 1/3-rule grid. The 3:2 guides allow for easier

4.2


23

judging of the outcome if you plan to print in 6" x 4" format, for instance. The 1/3-rule grids are mostly used for positioning the horizon in landscape photography; dividing the image by a ratio of 2:1 or 1:2 is more pleasing than placing the horizon in the center. The CHDK greatly extends the range of available grids. You can even define your own grids in the form of a simple text file. Each grid is implemented as a .grd file in the folder CHDK/GRIDS/. If you want to roll your own, you will find the necessary instructions in the file README.TXT in the same folder. Predefined grids are: f 3to2grid. Indicates the 3:2 crop ratio, e.g., for 6" x 4" prints. f 3to8grid. Organizes the image horizontally and vertically into 3:2:3 di-

f

f f

f f f

f

f f

visions. This is very close to the Golden Ratio. It can be used to compose an image in a visually pleasing way by aligning the prominent structures with the grid lines. golden1. Indicates the “Golden Point”. The most important subject in the image should be placed where the two lines meet. Horizontal or vertical reflections of this grid can be used, too, resulting in four “golden” points. golden2. Identical to golden1 but showing two “golden” points. id. Based on the ISO/IEC 19794-5:2005 standard for administrative identity photos (passports, identity cards, driving licenses, etc.). The large red ellipse shows the maximum head size, the small green ellipse the minimum head size. The gray area is where the eyes have to be. rulecross (rulecr~1 on DryOS). A grid typically used in aerial photography and micro/macro photography. rulers. Similar to rulecross, but without the crosshair pattern. sports. A grid simulating a sports finder. The nested frames represent the different cropping lines. The idea is that you shoot at the highest resolution and later crop along the lines shown in the grid—resulting in a telephoto shot with lower resolution. The main advantage over digital zoom is that the display shows the events outside the cropping area, too. This gives you time to prepare for the shot and enables you to catch the event in time. stolen. A grid for the paranoid. When activated, the grid darkens the screen showing only the words “STOLEN CAMERA!” The idea is that a person unaware of the CHDK will not be able to use the camera. A new memory card, however, would cure it. third_h. Organizes the image horizontally into equally sized divisions (horizontal 1/3-rule). third_v. Organizes the image vertically into equally sized divisions (vertical 1/3-rule).

Figure 4-12 The rulecross grid

Figure 4-13 The Grid Lines submenu. Normally, grid files define the colors for lines and background. However, by enabling Override Grid Colors you can override these colors with your own color selections.

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To load one of these grids, invoke the entry Load Grid from File… . This will launch the file browser (section 4.10.1). Select the respective grid file using the UP and DOWN buttons, and then press FUNC/SET to commit or MENU to abort. The grid may be switched on or off with Show Grid Lines.

4.2.7 Miscellaneous Values The Miscellaneous Values submenu combines settings for the display of values related to focus, zoom, and exposure. The first entry, Show Misc Values, determines when these values are shown: not at all (Don’t), always (Always), or when the shutter button is half-pressed (Shoot). The entry Show values in video can be set to show these values while the camera is in video mode. Now, let’s have a look at the various information items: f The Zoom Value can be shown as the zoom factor (x), as the true focal

length (FL), or as the 35mm equivalent focal length (EFL). f If you are using a lens converter, such as a telephoto converter or a wide-angle converter, you can dial its factor into the entry Adapter Lens Scale. For example, if you use a telephoto converter with a factor of 1.75, dial in the value 175. This setting will be used to display the focal length or the zoom factor correctly, and also to compute the depth of field correctly (section 4.2.8).

Figure 4-14 The Miscellaneous Values submenu. This image was compiled from two display screens.

The remainder of the display options are exposure-related. The exposure system of Canon cameras is engineered along the APEX system (Additive System for Photographic Exposure). This system defines several exposurerelated entities and puts them in relation to each other: f Time value (Tv) represents the shutter speed. f Aperture value (Av) represents the lens aperture. f Exposure value (Ev) represents the joint effect of exposure time and

aperture. f Speed value (Sv) represents the sensitivity of the sensor (the ISO setting). f Brightness value (Bv) represents the scene brightness. Internally, all these values use a logarithmic scale. This makes it easy for the camera to derive values from each other. The relationship is simple: Av+Tv = Bv+Sv = Ev

When in auto mode, the camera determines the entities Av, Tv, and Sv from the measured scene brightness (Bv). Depending on the program chosen

4.2


(Landscape, Sports, etc.), the camera will determine the optimal compromise between those entities. In manual mode, most cameras allow you to set a fixed ISO value (Sv), and some cameras even allow you to select a fixed shutter speed (Tv) or a fixed aperture (Av). In such cases, the camera can easily derive the other values from the above formula. Let’s now take at look at the remaining parameters in the Miscellaneous group and their abbreviations when displayed: Value Hg

In Misc

“Real” aperture

Av

The true aperture, not rounded for display purposes. “Real” ISO

I-R

The true sensor speed as used in the APEX formula. “Market” ISO

I-M

The sensor speed as displayed by the native Canon firmware. This value is rounded and approximately 1.6 times higher than the real ISO value, probably for marketing purposes. Therefore, the nickname Market ISO. Set Exposure Ev

Evs

The effective Exposure Value computed from shutter speed and aperture (Tv+Av). Measured Ev

Evm

The Exposure Value computed from scene brightness and sensor speed (Bv+Sv). Set Bv

Bvs

The Brightness Value computed from shutter speed, aperture, and sensor speed (Tv+Av-Sv). Measured Bv

Bvm

The measured scene brightness. Overexp. Value

dE

Shows an overexposure value computed from the APEX values: Av+Tv—(Bv+Sv). This is without flash illumination. Canon Overexp. Value

dEc

Shows an overexposure value computed by the native Canon firmware. This is a rounded value. Scene Luminance

B

Shows the scene brightness in Candelas per square meter.

The differences between set Ev and measured Ev, and between set Bv and measured Bv, are usually small when the camera is in automatic mode. However, if you use Overrides (section 4.3.1), the differences can be

25

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substantial and the Overexposure Value will be significant. When using Overrides, you should definitely display at least the Overexposure Value. The small differences in automatic mode are caused by the fact that Canon software quantizes all values to 96 units per f-stop. This can lead to small (and insignificant) rounding errors.

4.2.8 Customizing the DOF calculator Figure 4-15 The Miscellaneous Values display (right) with all entries enabled. At the top is the 35mm-equivalent focal length (Z). Here the screen shows a 35mmequivalent of 38 mm – the true focal length of the lens, however, is 6.2 mm. The dE entry indicates that the exposure is slightly incorrect. The

The Depth of Field (DOF) calculator is a useful tool built into the CHDK. Based on the real aperture value and the focal length, it is able to compute values such as near sharpness limit, far sharpness limit, hyperfocal distance, and depth of field. The entry Show DOF Calculator allows switching off the DOF calculator altogether (Don’t), displaying its values in a separate group (Separate, see Figure 4-16, or displaying the values within the Miscellaneous Values group (In Misc). Depending on these settings, the displayed values are represented differently:

reason is that a manual shutter speed of 1/100 sec was set via an Override (top left).

Value

Separate

In Misc

Subj.Dist.

S

SD

R1

NL

R2

FL

Hyp

Hyp

DOF

DOF

Subject distance as determined by the AF system or as set manually. Near Limit The near limit of sharpness. Far Limit The far limit of sharpness. Hyperfocal Dist. The minimum distance that must be set to achieve sharpness until infinity. The near limit is the hyperfocal distance divided by 2.

Figure 4-16 The submenu DOF Calculator is used to configure the DOF Calculator.

Depth of Field The difference between the near and far limits.

A bit disturbing is the fact that you can choose between different distance values: f The option Canon Subj. Dist. as Near Limit uses the distance determined

natively by the camera as the near limit. Based on this value, the subject distance and the far limit are both computed by the CHDK. My observation is that this option results in values that are too large.

4.2


f If this option is not set, the distance determined natively by the camera

is used as the subject distance, and the near and far limits are computed. The result seems only slightly too large. f The option Use EXIF Subj. Dist. (PC65) uses instead the distance written into the EXIF data for those computations. This is the same value as in Property Case 65 (245 for DryOS, section 5.5.12). According to my observation, this value is too small. Altogether, none of these three settings is precise. I get the best result with both options switched off, but you must find for yourself the best setting for your own camera.

4.2.9 Other user interface options More useful options for customizing the user interface are found in ALT > MENU > Miscellaneous Stuff: f Show splash screen on load. Can be used to hide the splash screen. At

times, this screen can be a nuisance, especially if you are in a hurry to take a photo immediately after switching on the camera. If hidden, the only visual indication of the CHDK booting is a short flash of the blue LED. f Startup sound. A short beep can be used to indicate that the CHDK has booted up. f Use zoom buttons for MF. This entry is only available on cameras with manual focus. It allows a more precise setting of the manual focus by using the zoom buttons. g A-Series: With manual focus enabled, the zoom rocker mimics the left/right controls. You can adjust anything that is controlled by the left and right directional controls via the zoom rocker—such as manual focus, shutter speed, or aperture. Zooming is not possible in this mode. g S-Series: While the MF button is held down, the zoom rocker will control manual focus. f Disable LCD Off. Select No if you always want the display to turn off after the time specified in the Power Saving section of the native camera settings. Select Script if you don’t want the display turned off while a script is running. Select Alt if you don’t want the display turned off while the camera is in mode. This, of course, includes Script mode.

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4.3

Exposure

Most compact cameras come with automatic exposure only. Usually they support a variety of automatic program modes such as portrait, landscape, sports, kids&pets, night shot, sunset, snow, etc. However, the smaller and lower-priced models usually do not feature aperture priority, exposure time priority, or a fully manual mode. There are simply no provisions to dial in an aperture value or a shutter speed. If they offer a manual mode, it only allows dialing in an exposure correction value, and that’s it. The CHDK has set out to remedy this situation. It allows overriding the values determined by the camera’s exposure system with values dialed in by the user. This is possible for aperture (or neutral density filter), exposure time, sensor speed, and flash power. In addition, the CHDK offers a highly customizable Auto ISO system and advanced features for exposure control, such as a live histogram and zebra areas. We will discuss those features in the following sections.

4.3.1 Overrides As already mentioned, the CHDK allows overriding aperture, exposure time, ISO speed, and flash power. This works in all camera modes, automatic and manual. So, for example, if the camera is in automatic mode and you override the exposure time only, the camera will automatically choose the right aperture; the camera will be in Shutter priority (Tv) exposure mode. But not all cameras can do this. Cameras equipped with an ND filter instead of a diaphragm cannot adjust the aperture and completely revert to manual mode. In this case, you must adjust the ND filter state and the ISO speed yourself to obtain a properly exposed image. The density of the ND filter depends on the maximum aperture—the ND filter simulates a setting of f/8 at the focal length at maximum aperture. So, if the maximum aperture is f/2.8, the density of the ND filter will be three f-stops. With a telephoto setting where the aperture is perhaps only f/4.9, the aperture simulated by the ND filter would be around f/14. With the CHDK in place, you can normally keep the ND filter out and use very short shutter speeds when conditions become too bright. An ND filter makes sense if you need rather long shutter speeds for compositional reasons (waterfalls, architectural images, etc.). So, with diaphragm-less cameras your options for exposure control are somewhat limited. You can’t just open or close the aperture to compensate for variations in shutter-speed. Instead, you must adapt the sensor speed. For example, if the camera computes a shutter speed of 1/100 sec and you override it with 1/1000 sec, you have to make up for the 3 1/3 stops less

4.3

Exposure

29

light caused by the shorter exposure time by increasing the sensor speed— let’s say, from 50 to 500. Manually, this is not a problem. You just dial the new ISO speed into the Overrides. Automatic operation with shutter priority, however, is only possible on cameras with ND filters when using a suitable script for exposure control (section 5.7.4). Let’s return to cameras that do have diaphragms. On such a camera, if you override the aperture only, the exposure system will select a suitable exposure time; the camera will be in Aperture-priority (Av) exposure mode1. All of the Overrides are combined in the submenu Extra Photo Operations. The first entry of that submenu is used to switch the camera between native mode and override mode. f Disabled. The Override System is completely disabled. f Off. All Override Values are disabled, but the display shows the remark

NO OVERRIDES. f On. All Override Values are active. The display, too, shows the override

values if option OSD > Show state displays is enabled (section 4.2.4). Because stepping through the menus can be a bit awkward, the CHDK offers a key combination to toggle the Overrides between On and Off. This key combination depends on the camera type: f Cameras without DEL key and SX100: Shutter halfpress + LEFT f G7: Shutter halfpress + UP f All other cameras: Shutter halfpress + DOWN

Optionally, the Overrides state (On or Off) can also be applied to the AutoISO feature (section 4.3.2) and the Bracketing feature (section 4.6). This is controlled through the entry Include AutoIso & Bracketing. If the option is set, AutoISO and Bracketing will be enabled if Disable Overrides is off, and disabled if Disable Overrides is on. Individual entries can be switched on or off through their Value Factor subentry. If not set to Off, this value factor is multiplied by the value of the main entry. For the Shutter Speed entry, there is another, more convenient possibility: when the entry Shutterspeed enum type is set to Ev Step, the only possible value factor is 1 (and Off). The Shutter Speed Value will step through all available shutter speeds by 1/3 f/stops (2048 sec, 1625 sec, ..., 1.3 sec, 1.0 sec, 0.8 sec, ..., 1/80000 sec, 1/100k sec) as we are used to in mainstream photography. Otherwise, if the entry Shutterspeed enum type is set to Factor, the factor is simply multiplied by the specified shutter speed value. This method is

Figure 4-17 Overrides for exposure and other settings are controlled through the Extra Photo Operations submenu. An Aperture value override is not shown

1

Again, this is not possible on cameras without diaphragms—you simply won’t be able to override an aperture value.

here because this camera has only an ND filter and no diaphragm.

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better suited for scientific work. Of course, the real limits2 of this range are defined by the camera hardware, but see sections 4.3.6 and 4.3.5 for very long and very short exposure times! The same applies for ISO and aperture settings. For example, dialing in an ISO value of 6400 will have no effect if your camera only supports ISO 1600: the sensor speed, will be set to 1600. Remember, too, that in the case of the ISO speed, the Override value is the “real” ISO value—not the “market” value, which is approximately 1.6 times higher. So if you dial in an ISO value of 1000, the Review Mode will show an ISO of 1600. For most cameras, the CHDK allows higher ISO values than what the native camera menu has to offer. On my SD1100, for example, the ISO scale ends at ISO 1600. The CHDK, in contrast, allows me to shoot images with ISO 6400 (dialed in as ISO 4000). Of course, you may rightfully ask, what about the noise? Aren’t images shot at such high sensor speeds extremely noisy? In most cases, this is true, and it’s probably the reason why manufacturers put an artificial upper limit on the ISO value. But there are situations where such ISO values can be useful. One example is when you use the averaging technique for hand-held night shots (section 4.5.6). In such a situation, a sharp and noisy image is more useful than an unsharp image with less noise. The noise can be remedied by averaging a dozen shots or so. Even in the case of single shots, there are options. PC-based noise reduction programs such as NoiseNinja or NeatImage can do a better job than the camera does, and there are also some RAW converters with respectable noise suppression capabilities. Figure 4-18 Japanese teapot detail. Photographed with a Canon Digital Elph SD1100 as a DNG file. An ISO of 4000 was dialed in, the camera’s reading was 6400, and the EXIF data recorded 6121. Exposure time was 1/20 sec (per Override), the aperture f/2.8 at a focal length of 6.2 mm (~ 38 mm). The red color of the teapot and the nearly monochromous character of the image kept the noise low because noise is dominant in the blue channel. Developed with CaptureOne Pro 5.0, which features excellent noise reduction.

Two more entries need an explanation: f Clear override values @start. If this option is enabled, all values are reset

to their default when the camera is powered up. Otherwise, the Overrides remain in place even after the camera is switched off. f The option Enable Fast Ev switch turns the UP and DOWN buttons into exposure correction buttons. This makes sense because you don’t have to step through the Canon menus to set an exposure correction value. 2

For the real limits of your camera, please see http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/ CameraFeatures.

4.3

Exposure

Also, the available correction range is much larger than the two f-stops provided by the camera’s native exposure correction. The step size can be controlled in increments of 1/6 f-stop through the subentry Step size. On cameras where the UP and DOWN buttons are used for changing the ISO setting and for the self timer, however, there is a problem. With Enable Fast Ev set, these buttons will have two functions. Pressing the UP button repeatedly will change the Ev and the ISO speed; the DOWN button will change the Ev and the shooting mode. The workaround is simply to wait a second after each click on UP or DOWN. After that time, the native function will be aborted so that only the Ev value is changed. To change the ISO value or the self-timer/series mode, simply click faster and afterwards correct the Ev value with the opposite button in delayed fashion. Or, temporarily switch off Enable Fast Ev. This less-than-optimal situation will likely change in future CHDK versions.

4.3.2 Custom Auto ISO Apart from setting a fixed ISO value in manual mode, the native Canon exposure system provides two automatic ISO modes. These modes try to find a suitable compromise between sensor speed and exposure time when shooting in low light. The mode ISO AUTO puts the emphasis on image quality. It uses lower ISO values and longer exposure times and is therefore suited to subject matter without much movement, such as landscapes or portraits. In contrast, ISO HI puts the emphasis on speed. It uses higher ISO values (resulting in more noise) but shorter exposure times. It is therefore better suited to subject matter with fast movements, such as sports, children, animals, etc. Of course, both of these automatic ISO modes are predefined by the manufacturer. The photographer has no chance to customize how they work. Since the camera does not know how steady your hand is or the minimal shutter speeds required, it can only make worst-case assumptions that may result in less-than-optimal ISO settings. Enter the CHDK. The submenu Extra Photo Operations > Custom Auto ISO provides you with all the necessary controls to optimize the behavior of ISO AUTO and ISO HI. Let’s discuss the submenu entries one by one: f Enable Custom Auto ISO is used to enable the parameters listed below.

When disabled, the camera goes back to the native ISO AUTO and ISO HI mechanism. f Minimal Shutter Speed. Here you can set a minimal shutter speed. The Auto setting can be used when your subject holds still, as in landscapes, portraits, or stills. For moving subjects, this setting will choose a

Figure 4-19 The Custom Auto ISO submenu

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minimum shutter speed depending on the focal length and the factors specified in the following entries. The numeric settings (1/8, …, 1/1000) specify a fixed minimum shutter speed. The camera will try to use this or a shorter speed. Typical values would be: 1/8 – 1/30 for slow movement 1/60 – 1/125 for general movement (kids, pets, etc.) 1/125 – 1/1000 for fast movement (sports, etc.) f User Factor (1/FL Factor). An old rule says that you should use the value of 1/focal_length as your shutter speed to avoid camera shake. However, this rule was made for 35mm cameras. To adapt this rule to the optics of a digital camera, you need to specify the lens factor. To find out that factor, first switch the display of the focal length to EFL (35mm equivalent). This is done in OSD > Miscellaneous Values > Zoom Value (section 4.2.7). Now read the focal length (Z) from the display. Then switch the same entry back to FL (true focal length). Again read the focal length (Z) from the display. Divide the first value by the second. This is the start value for the User Factor. For example: on my SD1100 with its 1/2.5 inch sensor, I get an EFL of 38 mm and an FL of 6.2 mm in wideangle setting. The resulting focal length factor is close to 6.1. Cameras with a 1/1.7 inch sensor have a focal length factor of 4.6. Now you can modify this value according to your ability to hold the camera steady. If you think that you can hold the camera quite steady, or if you are able to lean your body against some solid object, subtract 20 percent. If you are quite shaky, add 20 percent. When the camera is mounted on a tripod, dial-in the smallest value possible (1). When shooting in a vibrating environment such as an airplane, the User Factor (which is limited to an upper bound of 8) may not be suitable. Depending on the strength of vibrations, the above shutter speed formula must be modified to approximately 8/focal_length. Then the User Factor must also be multiplied by 8—too large to dial in. So instead, compute the minimal shutter speed from the EFL-reading (35mm equivalent) with the help of this formula and set it as a fixed value in Minimal Shutter Speed. f IS Factor (Tv* Factor). This factor takes the Image Stabilizer into account. An average Image Stabilizer will give you an exposure time extension of an approximate factor of 4 (2 f-stops) without risking shake, a poor Image Stabilizer about a factor of 2 (1 f-stop), and an excellent Image Stabilizer a factor of 8 (3 f-stops). Newer camera models usually have more powerful image stabilizers than older models. You can look into test reports (for example, on www.dpreview.com) to find out about the effectiveness of your camera’s IS system. Or do some of your own measurements. Hint: Switch the Image Stabilizer off in environments with strong vibrations. It’s built to correct hand shake, not vibrations with higher frequencies.

4.3

Exposure

33

f The entries Max ISO HI and Max ISO AUTO are used to limit the maxi-

mum ISO chosen in the respective ISO mode, and thus to limit visible noise in the image. This value must not exceed the maximum ISO speed physically possible for your camera3. The values dialed in here are multiplied by 10, so, for ISO 800, dial 80. In Min ISO you should set the minimum ISO physically possible for your f camera. Again, the values dialed in here are multiplied by 10, so, for ISO 100, dial 10.

4.3.3 Histogram Your camera probably does have a histogram, at least in Review Mode. However, this histogram is only shown after an image has been taken. The CHDK has a bit more to offer. One option is showing a Live Histogram on the display. The histogram can be shown when the shutter button is half-pressed (Shoot) or always. So, with a quick look at the histogram, you can decide whether the image is correctly exposed or whether it is necessary to adjust the exposure (see section 4.3.1 for the fast Ev buttons). In the case of too much contrast, however, it would be better to shoot an HDR bracketing series (section 4.6.2). There is a lot to configure: f Different histogram styles can be chosen in the entry Histogram Layout

Figure 4-20 The CHDK histogram can be configured

(Figure 4-21):

through submenu Histogram. RGB

Displays the sum of the red, green, and blue pixel values.

Y

Displays the luminance component.

RGB Y

Displays RGB above luminance.

RGB

Three histograms, one for each color.

RGB all

Displays all five histogram types with RGB on top.

Y all

Displays all five histogram types with luminance on top.

Blend

Blends the three histograms of R G B into one.

Blend Y

Same as Blend, but with the luminance histogram added below.

f Histogram Mode allows you to choose between Linear and logarithmic

(Log) scaling of the histogram Y-axis. Logarithmic scaling can be useful if the image contains a large amount of similar colors. With linear scaling, this would result in very high peaks. f When enabled, Show Histogram Over/Under EXP displays red dots at both ends of the histogram if over- or underexposed areas are detected, as shown in some histograms in Figure 4-21. 3

For the real limits of your camera please see http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/ CameraFeatures.

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Figure 4-21 The different histogram styles

RGB

Y

RGB Y

R_G_B

RGB all

Y all

Blend

Blend Y

4.3

Exposure

35

f Ignore Boundary Peaks allows clipping a specified number of pixels (0–

32) at the left and right side of the histogram. Typically, this situation arises when the subject matter is small and placed on a monotonous background, as in night shots. A large black area would result in a high peak at the left side of the histogram, and the remaining information would vanish because of scaling. Removing these peaks makes the histogram readable again. f Another way to deal with peaks is provided by Auto Magnify. If enabled and the histogram is filled to less than 20 percent, the Y-axis is enlarged and peaks are clipped. The clipped peaks are marked with a red dot, and the amount of magnification is displayed above the histogram. f Show Histo Ev Grid adds four or five vertical grid lines to the histogram that indicate Ev values. The lines have a distance of one Ev (one f-stop).

4.3.4 Zebra Another convenient way to control exposure is the Zebra feature. While the histogram informs you about the tonal range of the complete image, the Zebra feature identifies image areas that are under- or overexposed. These areas are displayed with a pattern overlaid on the image to make them stand out visually. When enabled in the CHDK menu, Zebra areas are displayed by halfpressing the shutter. The feature also works in Replay Mode when halfpressing the shutter, allowing you to assess the image quality after the shot has been taken. Again, there are various options to configure: f Draw Zebra enables or disables the feature. f Zebra Mode determines how the overexposed or underexposed areas are overlaid: Blink 1

Solid overlay, blinks twice every second.

Blink 2

Solid overlay, blinks every second. This is my favorite. When there is something blinking on the screen, I take a closer look to see what’s wrong, but the blinking is not so fast as to make me nervous.

Blink 3

Solid overlay, blinks every two seconds.

Solid

Solid overlay, no blinking.

Zebra 1

Striped overlay, thin diagonal lines.

Zebra 2

Striped overlay, fat diagonal lines.

Figure 4-22 The Zebra submenu configures the Zebra mode.

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f The sensitivity of the Zebra feature can be controlled by UnderExposure

Threshold and OverExposure Threshold. The range goes from 0 (low sensitivity) to 32 (high sensitivity). f The next two options only apply to the Zebra blink modes. When a Zebra pattern is drawn, both the Canon indicators and the CHDK indicators (for example, the DOF calculator) are erased by the pattern. To restore these information items during the blink pauses, set the options Restore Original Screen (for the Canon items) and Restore OSD (for the CHDK items). f The option Draw Over Zebra applies to all Zebra modes. When this option is set to value OSD, all OSD information items will be drawn on top of the Zebra pattern and thus remain visible. When set to Histo, only the histogram is drawn on top of the Zebra pattern. When set to Nothing, the Zebra pattern will be drawn on top of all items. With a blinking Zebra pattern, I would rather set this parameter to Nothing and enable the previous two options (Restore original screen and Restore OSD). This way, both the Zebra pattern and the indicators are completely visible. f Finally, there is a special Zebra mode that can be switched on by RGB zebra. This mode displays overexposed areas in different colors depending on which color channel is overexposed. For example, if the blue channel is overexposed, the Zebra pattern will be blue; if both the red and green channels are overexposed, the Zebra pattern will be yellow (red+green), and if all channels are overexposed, the Zebra pattern will be black. The drawback of this mode is that it cannot show underexposed areas.

4.3.5 High-speed photography One amazing feature of the CHDK is the provision for ultra-short shutter speeds. Before we go into the details, let’s take a look at general shutter technology. Traditional cameras from the analog era use mainly two types of shutters. One is the focal plane shutter, which is also used in DSLRs. Here, two curtains move across the focal plane, and the light passes through a slit between the two curtains. The width of the slit determines the exposure time. By choosing a very narrow slit, a focal plane shutter can offer fast shutter speeds down to 1/8000 sec. The downside of this technique is that the slit needs time to travel across the focal plane. Fast-moving objects often appear stretched or contracted depending on the direction of the object’s movement in relation to the slit’s movement. Another problem with this type of shutter is flash photography. The entire sensor area must be uncovered by the curtains while the flash is emitting light in order to avoid uneven illumination. So shutter speeds cannot be very high when flash is used.

4.3

Exposure

37

The other shutter type is the leaf shutter located in the camera lens. Here, several leaves quickly open the lens and then return to their original position. Because of this movement reversal, shutter speeds cannot be very short. For cameras with interchangeable lenses, each lens must be equipped with a shutter, and an auxiliary focal plane shutter is needed to cover the light-sensitive area during a lens change. Compact digital cameras use a simple leaf shutter that is not very fast. Its main purpose is to shield the CCD sensor from light while the image is read. The exact shutter speed is determined by the point of time when the image data is read. So the CCD determines the shutter speed, not the mechanical shutter—and the CCD can be very fast, indeed. It also allows for using the flash with all shutter speeds. Most Canon compact cameras use CCD technology, though some newer models such as the SX1 use CMOS sensors. CMOS sensors work differently. They do not need a mechanical shutter but work similarly to a focal plane shutter. Only a range of rows on the sensor—comparable to the slit between the curtains of a focal plane shutter—is light-sensitive at a given time. This range travels across the sensor area just like the curtain slit travels across the focal plane. Therefore, CMOS sensors tend to distort fast objects similarly to the traditional focal plane shutter. They also need slower synchronization speeds when using flash. The CHDK can take control of the electronic shutter and offer shutter speeds down to 1/100,000 sec. That is more than the cameras can physically do, but in some cases real shutter speeds down to 1/40,000 sec. have been reported. A list of findings for different camera models is available at http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CameraFeatures. (Some of the top-range compact cameras such as the G-series cannot benefit from the CHDK in this respect because they use a mechanical shutter to control exposure time.) Figure 4-23 The blade of a power hand blender rotating at 15,000 rpm. The camera was a Canon Digital Elph SD1100 IS. In the CHDK Overrides, the shutter speed was set to 1/40,000 sec. and the ISO value to 1000. Flash was used for illumination. By measuring the extent of the small motion streaks on the blade, we could determine a shutter speed of 1/25,000 sec. The EXIF data, however, show a shutter speed of

When setting a fast Tv value in ALT > MENU > Extra Photo Operations > Override Shutter Speed, the aperture (if the camera has a diaphragm) and/or the ISO value must be adapted to achieve a correct exposure. Cameras with a

1/1500 sec—the official maximum shutter speed.

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diaphragm usually offer a shutter priority automatic mode (also called Tv mode). On cameras without a Tv mode, you must set aperture and/or ISO manually, or use the script presented in section 5.7.4 (see also section 4.3.1).

4.3.6 Night photography In the past, night photography has not been easy with digital cameras. At high ISO values, the noise in the image goes up. Shooting at low ISO values is not always possible—lack of a tripod may be just one reason. And at long exposure times, the camera’s sensor tends to produce artifacts: hot pixels that show up as tiny bright dots. Hot pixels are the main reason why manufacturers limit the maximum exposure time. However, inventive photographers have found a way around this limitation. The basic idea is: shoot at a higher ISO speed, but don’t just take a single shot of your subject. Instead, shoot a whole series of images, each exposed in the same way. Afterwards, these images can be overlaid and averaged. This will cancel out some of the noise (see below), and the image will appear as if shot at a lower ISO speed. It is even possible to shoot such a series hand-held. PC-based programs like PhotoAcute can automatically register the images with each other and construct an almost noise-free composite image. But what if you want to visualize motion (cars on the highway, star tracks, etc.)? In these cases you need long to very long exposure times. Without the CHDK, you are lost. But with the CHDK, your options for night photography are extended in several ways: f Shooting RAW. RAW images can be treated with powerful PC-based

noise reduction programs that outperform the in-camera noise reduction applied to JPEG files. These programs usually perform better with RAW sensor data. Your best option is the DNG format: here, bad pixels (as predetermined by the manufacturer) can be subtracted from the image (section 4.5.2). In addition, RAW images can capture the high contrast typical of night exposures better than JPEG images. f Higher ISO values (section 4.3.1). This results in more noise, of course; but you can take several hand-held shots and average them later. Figure 4-24 shows that it becomes possible to obtain low-grain images of night scenes even without a tripod when using this technique. f Merging several RAW images (section 4.5.6). This can be an option when you take a series of photos with your camera mounted on a tripod. This feature cannot register the images with each other, but it saves postprocessing on the PC.

4.3

f Longer exposure times (section 4.3.1). How long depends on the camera

model4, but the minimum is 64 seconds. Many cameras allow for up to 2147 seconds. f Dark Frame Subtraction (DFS) (section 4.5.2). DFS can be useful when you’re shooting with long exposure times at low ISO speeds. In such conditions, it will effectively remove all hot pixels. When used with high ISO values, however, it can make things worse (see below). The CHDK allows you to switch DFS on or off, or to use the Auto setting when DFS will only be used for exposure times less than or equal to 1.3 seconds. ABOUT NOISE Each image contains noise—dominantly sensor noise (mostly in the blue channel) and amplifier noise. Small sensors cannot catch as much light as large sensors and thus require more amplification, resulting in a lower signalto-noise ratio. The higher the amplification (and the ISO speed), the higher the noise. Noise is a random phenomenon. Therefore, subtracting two independent noise sources from each other does not cancel out the noise. In this case, subtraction actually has the same effect as adding both noise signals. This is the reason why Dark Frame Subtraction does not cancel out stochastic noise but rather increases it. Where DFS helps is with Hot Pixels because they are not random. Noise is reduced when averaging several images. Again, the reason is the stochastic character of noise. Adding the signals from n images results in an image signal of n-times the strength, but the strength of the noise signal multiplies only by the square-root of n. So, the image-to-noise ratio improves by the square-root of n. For example, when shooting a series of 16 shots and averaging them, you end up with an image where the signal-to-noise ratio is improved by a factor of √16 = 4.

4

See http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CameraFeatures.

Exposure

39

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Figure 4-24 This detail of a night shot shows massive graininess in the top image. This was caused by setting the sensor speed to ISO 6400 (market) on a Canon Digital Elph 1100 IS (Ixus 80 IS). Exposure time was 1/20 sec, aperture f/2.8 at 6.2 mm (equiv. 38 mm). The image was shot hand-held as a DNG image with Bad Pixel Removal. The image at the bottom, in contrast, was composed of the image shown at the top and seven more similar images, all shot hand-held. Registration and averaging was performed with PhotoAcute Studio. No other noise reduction techniques were applied, so there is still room for further improvement.

4.3.7 Flash

Figure 4-25 The commands for controlling the manual flash are reached through the menu Extra Photo Operations. You’ll find them at the end of the menu.

Most Canon compact cameras have rather limited flash functionality. My SD1100, for example, supports the following modes: Automatic, Off, and On (in manual mode). Red-eye correction and a red-eye lamp can be switched on, and in manual mode there is a Slow Sync option. However, there is no way to control the flash power. This is unfortunate; it’s hard to use the flash as a fill light. Once again, the CHDK comes to the rescue with an override. There is an option to enforce manual flash even when the camera is in automatic mode, and the flash power can be controlled in three steps: weak (0), medium (1), and strong (2). When using the flash as a fill light, the medium and weak settings can be especially useful. I certainly would like a more fine-grained flash control with the option of controlling the flash power in 1/3 f-stops; but, you can’t have everything. The three flash power settings of the CHDK are better than nothing. The strong setting comes in handy

4.3

Exposure

when you need lots of light: for example, when you want to shoot with an ultrashort exposure time (section 4.3.5). By the way, if you enforce the manual flash but it doesn’t work, don’t blame the CHDK; you might just need to charge the battery.

4.3.8 Using curves Custom Curves are another option in the CHDK to control the outcome of a shot. Curves are applied after an image has been taken; they don’t influence exposure settings such as aperture or sensor speed. They simply modify the digital data delivered by the sensor before it’s packed into a JPEG file. This can make sense. The sensor delivers the image data with a finer dynamic granularity than a JPEG file is able to capture. Each pixel consists of 10 or more bits, allowing the capture of at least 1024 levels of brightness. A JPEG file only transports 8 bits per pixel. Due to the logarithmic scaling of pixel values in JPEG format, the JPEG file does a good job on shadows but not so good a job on highlights. Therefore, burned-out highlights are a common problem when shooting in JPEG. One solution is to shoot RAW (section 4.5). A RAW file delivers RAW sensor data—the complete information without any loss. Using a RAW converter, you can properly compress the tonal range of the image to avoid drowned shadows and burned-out highlights. Is there no solution for shooting JPEGs? In fact, the CHDK offers one. Curves can be used to do all kinds of tone mapping, including contrast compression. The result can be a JPEG with detail in both highlights and shadows. Because curves are applied when mapping the RAW data onto JPEG pixel values, they do not have any effect on RAW images. And because the CHDK can shoot RAW and JPEG simultaneously, you can have both a curve-modified JPEG and an untreated RAW file as a backup. The Enable curve entry in the Custom curves submenu offers the following options: f None. No curves are used for tone mapping. f Custom. The pixel values are mapped under the control of a custom

curve. Such custom curves can be created with the help of a curve editor (see below). The curve definition file must be placed into the folder CHDK/CURVES/. The curve can then be loaded under menu entry Load curve profile… . f +1EV. A system-defined curve that increases shadow detail by one f-stop. Unlike the EV correction discussed in section 4.3.1, this option will not increase noise, open the aperture wider, or increase exposure time. It will, however, reduce contrast.

Figure 4-26 The Custom curves submenu

41

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f +2EV. Similar, but increases shadow detail by two f-stops. f Auto DR. This curve helps avoid burnt-out highlights in a controlled

manner. Before taking an image, adjust the EV value (section 4.3.1) so that the highlights show good detail. Then take your shot. The luminance of the shadows will be raised by the curve while the highlights are compressed. In difficult lighting situations, this curve can be useful—but you should not expect wonders. Better results can be achieved by shooting RAW (section 4.5) and by adapting the tonal values manually on the PC, or, of course, by shooting an exposure series for creating an HDR image (section 4.6.2). These three system curves are contained in file CHDK/syscurves.CVF. This file is loaded automatically. Custom curves can be created with a PC-based curve editor running under Windows. It is available from the web page http://chdk.wikia.com/ wiki/Software and from the book CD. To install the editor, simply copy it onto the desktop. To create a new curve, select a color channel or All in the Edit group, then start setting and dragging points with the mouse. You can save the curve by entering a name into the text field at the bottom, then click Save Point. This will create a .CTC file that is a plain text point list. For usage in your camera, you must compile the curve with Create Curve. This will produce two files: a .CV file and a .CVF file. Copy these files into the folder CHDK/CURVES/ on your memory card. Figure 4-27 The curve editor in action. Here we have created a typical S-curve that compresses the tonal values in the shadows and highlights and boosts the midtones. The curve mimics the response curve of photographic emulsions.

CV-curves are plain RGB curves. CVF-curves, in contrast, introduce a color shift for emulating an application of the curve to the luminance channel of the YUV color model. Usually, this gives a better visual result in areas with strong brightness changes.

4.3

Exposure

43

Figure 4-28 Application of the S-curve from Figure 4-27 to an autumn scene. The upper image was delivered as a DNG file, the lower image as a JPEG file. As you can see, the JPEG image has more contrast in the midtones.

You may wonder why the curve editor supports two green curves (Green-1, Green-2). The reason is that the camera’s sensor cells are divided into Red, Green-1, Blue, and Green-2, resulting in two green channels. Four sensor cells can be nicely arranged in a 2x2 pattern. Green was duplicated because the human eye is especially responsive to green colors.

Figure 4-29 The photocells of the camera sensor are not sensitive to color. The Bayer filter—placed in front of the sensor— assigns a specific color to each cell (Red, Green-1, Blue, or Green-2). When the RAW sensor data is developed by software—either in-camera or on a PC—the full color pixel values are interpolated by fetching the missing colors from the neighbor cells.

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Custom curves are, of course, not restricted to compression of the dynamic range. They can also be used for creative purposes. When you assign different-shaped curves to different color channels, you may get interesting color shifts. Curves with hills and valleys result in an effect known as the Sabbatier effect. Figure 4-30 Typical curve for achieving a Sabbattier effect. The different curves for the single color channels will cause color shifts in midtones and highlights.

When doing such work, you should shoot RAW in any case. The curves are only applied to the JPEG output5. If you are not happy with the outcome, you still have the original and unmodified image in the RAW file. And by redeveloping the RAW file (section 4.5.5), you can try out another curve. As a matter of fact, all of these modifications using curves would also be possible in a post-processing stage—at least when you opt to shoot RAW. Image editing programs such as Photoshop or Paintshop Pro allow for such modifications of the tonal range. However, using curves in the camera may help you to realize your visualization of the scene earlier and to redo a shot when the outcome does not match your expectations.

5

They also affect the preview images embedded into DNG files because the previews are derived from the JPEG image.

4.4

Focus

45

Figure 4-31 Dream landscape obtained with the curve shown in Figure 4-30. See the tonal inversion in the central sky area.

4.4

Focus

The focal system of Canon compact cameras is dominantly based on an autofocus system. Only some cameras in the higher price range allow manual focusing. The autofocus system is augmented by special focus modes such as Macro or Infinity, which can be set manually. Over the years, the focus system has become more and more advanced. One of the more recent improvements is face detection, allowing the camera to focus precisely on the faces in a scene. Like any of the focus systems in other compact cameras, the Canon AF system is also contrast-based. When focusing, the camera moves the lens back and forth until it finds a position where the contrast in selected image areas is maximized. This takes some time; the phase detectionbased focus systems in DSLR cameras are much faster. In the area of focusing, the CHDK also adds functionality. An explicit subject distance can be dialed in precisely to the millimeter. This overrides the autofocus system as well as selected focus modes such as Macro or Infinity. The value range is between 0 and 65535 mm, with 65535 representing infinity. The easiest way to dial in infinity is to start with zero and

Figure 4-32 The entry Override Subj. Dist. Value in the submenu Extra Photo Operations can be used for manual focusing. The override can be switched off via the subentry Value Factor. The labeling of this subentry is somewhat misleading. Unlike its equally named siblings, this value factor does NOT define a value factor by which the main entry is multiplied. Instead, it defines a step width for modifying the main entry. So, the subject distance set here is 770 mm (77 cm) and not 7700 mm as you might expect.

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press the LEFT button once. When using focus overrides, cameras featuring a manual focusing mode must be switched into that mode. Like any other override, the subject distance setting can also be controlled via a script that allows you to do amazing things, such as automated focus stacking. We will discuss these techniques in section 5.7.2.

4.5

Shooting RAW

The RAW image format has so many advantages for the semi-professional photographer that all cameras should offer it. However, this is not the case. In particular, many compact cameras do not offer this option. To be able to produce RAW images with consumer cameras was the main rationale behind the development of the CHDK.

4.5.1 Basics

Figure 4-33 The RAW menu adds functionality for outputting RAW files. The first menu item, Save RAW, allows you to toggle quickly between RAW and non-RAW shooting.

RAW images are nothing more than the unmodified sensor data produced by the camera. JPEG images, in contrast, are the result of a development process: the color temperature is estimated and applied, the image is sharpened, noise is removed, and the contrast is compressed. Scenes with stark contrast usually have some highlights clipped. So, the camera has already made some decisions for you. A RAW image, on the other hand, allows postponing these decisions to a later time. You don’t have to decide on processing parameters before taking a picture. Instead, you can make these decisions at the post-processing stage when the RAW image is developed on a PC (or even in the camera). It is possible to play around and try different options in regard to exposure, white balance, sharpening, and noise suppression. Another big advantage of the RAW format is that you can decide which color space to use for the image during the development process. When shooting JPEG, the camera makes this selection for you—and most compact cameras won’t allow anything but the small sRGB color space. The RAW format does not cast the RAW sensor data into any preset color space. This decision is made later when the images are developed in a RAW converter on a PC. Most PC-based RAW converters allow you to use the wider AdobeRGB color space. Some even allow for a larger variety of color spaces, such as ProPhotoRGB or eciRGBv2.

4.5

Shooting RAW

47

sRGB VS. AdobeRGB The sRGB (standard RGB) color space was defined by Microsoft and HewlettPackard. It is used by basically all consumer devices such as monitors, printers, scanners, and LCD projectors. It is also used as the standard color space in the Windows operating system. Because this color space is fairly narrow, the devices can be simple and cheap. The downside is that the sRGB color space does not cover some colors used in the printing process—so prints are not as colorful as they could be. The AdobeRGB color space, in contrast, was designed by Adobe to meet the demands of the printing press. It is larger than the sRGB color space. However, the problem with this color space is that AdobeRGB images cannot be properly viewed on standard monitors. A Wide Gamut Monitor is required to view the full color range. So, if your intention is to produce images for the web, by all means go for sRGB because the majority of your audience will not be able to display the full range of AdobeRGB. But if the printed image is your main concern, go for AdobeRGB and consider a Wide Gamut Monitor for your next monitor. Figure 4-34 AdobeRGB covers the sRGB color space as well as most of the CMYK color space used for printing. Modern camera sensors capture an even larger color space.

Also, a PC-based RAW converter usually does a better job than the processor in the camera. This is particularly true for the small consumer cameras for which the CHDK was developed. The small processors in those cameras cannot run sophisticated interpolation algorithms in the short time after a shot. In addition, when converting RAW files on the PC, the output of the

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Figure 4-35 The RAW Exceptions Menu. Not every situation requires RAW output, especially if you need faster camera operation and more capacity for images on your memory card.

RAW processor can be a 16-bit lossless TIFF file instead of a lossy JPEG file that is restricted to 8-bit color depth. Of course, there are good reasons for shooting JPEG, too. Because JPEG files are much smaller than RAW files, they can be stored faster on the memory card, resulting in faster operation when shooting a series—and, of course, in higher capacity on your card. Also, you may not always want to go through the time-consuming process of developing RAW files. CHDK gives you the best of both worlds. When shooting RAW, the CHDK also stores a JPEG version of the same image for preview. If you are happy with the JPEG image, you can throw away the RAW file. If you think the image requires some tweaking, keep the RAW file. CHDK even allows you to exclude some situations from RAW shooting (ALT > MENU > RAW Parameters > Exceptions): f Disable RAW @ Burst. Burst mode is faster when not shooting RAW.

f f

f

f

There is also an option in the main RAW menu (Figure 4-33) to shoot the very first shot of a series as RAW but the following shots as JPEGs. Disable RAW @ Timer. You may not want to shoot your self-portraits in RAW mode. Disable RAW @ EdgerOverlay. Edge Overlay is typically used with shooting stereo and panoramic images. As many panorama stitcher and stereo programs don’t accept RAW files, JPEG is the preferred option here. Disable RAW @ Auto Mode. You probably have your camera switched to Auto Mode for casual shots. You would hardly need RAW images here. For more serious shots where the RAW format makes sense, you would switch your camera to Manual Mode because it gives you more control. Warn when Exception? Optionally, a warning can be displayed when one of the above situations applies.

4.5.2 DNG The RAW format produced by the CHDK has some restrictions. First, CHDK’s RAW images are not equipped with EXIF data. Second, the RAW format produced by the CHDK is not understood by all RAW converters. Some simply refuse to open the image. A good choice is the program RawTherapee, which is available for the main PC platforms (Windows, Linux, Mac) on a donation basis. It’s a bit slow but delivers excellent results. Also, the free command line tool dcraw converts CHDK RAW files with excellent quality. Newer versions of the CHDK, however, can produce RAW images that are already converted to the DNG format. Adobe Systems introduced DNG in order to bring different RAW formats (each manufacturer has at least one) under one umbrella. DNG files still contain RAW data but in a manufacturer-independent, Adobe-specific way. Some premium cameras such

4.5

as Hasselblad, Leica, and Pentax use DNG as their native RAW format. With the CHDK, you can now join this exclusive club and produce DNG files directly from your camera. Using DNG has a few advantages over the native RAW format: f You can choose among a large variety of image editors and RAW devel-

opers that accept DNG files as input. f DNG files produced by the CHDK do contain EXIF data. f Bad pixels are optionally corrected. There are three options in the menu

entry ALT > MENU > Raw Parameters > Bad pixel removal: g Off. No bad pixel removal. g Averag. Replaces the bad pixel with an average from its neighbors. g RAWconv. The repair job is left to the PC-based RAW converter. The list of bad pixels is included in the DNG file. Because bad pixels are optionally considered during the in-camera conversion to DNG, a file badpixel.bin is required by the CHDK. Only then will the DNG menu items work. So, before using DNG, you must execute the script badpixel.lua. This script, which is included in the CHDK distribution, will read the list of bad pixels (as determined by the manufacturer) from the camera’s firmware. To run the script, switch the camera to Recording Mode and invoke: 1. Alt > FUNC/SET > Load Script from File… > TEST > BADPIXEL.LUA 2. Press the shutter button. The display will go dark, and the camera will take two pictures. After 20–30 seconds, the display will reappear and the camera will wait for input. If the bad pixel test was not successful, the script will ask you to run the test again. 3. Press FUNC/SET to save the file. 4. Press ALT to switch back to normal mode. 5. Now you can go ahead and switch to DNG (ALT > MENU > RAW Parameters > DNG Format). Or, you can use the built-in file browser to check that the file BADPIXEL.BIN has been created in the folder CHDK/ (ALT > MENU > Miscellaneous Stuff > File Browser). When working with DNG files, you should also enable the menu entry RAW buffer cached. The built-in DNG converter will then read the RAW data directly from memory and not from the card, resulting in faster operation. However, if you frequently run into memory problems, disable this option.

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DARK FRAME SUBTRACTION AND BAD PIXEL REMOVAL Do not mistake Bad Pixel Removal for Dark Frame Subtraction. Both have their pros and cons: Dark Frame Subtraction is a common technique for removing unwanted artifacts from an image. When an image is taken, the camera will make two exposures: one with an open lens, the other with a darkened lens. The second exposure will only show noise and hot pixels. Subtracting the second image from the first will remove some of these artifacts. Dark frame subtraction is usually used for long night exposures where the white, hot pixels can be very disturbing. As a noise reduction technique, it is of limited value; subtracting noise from noise results in even more noise because noise is a random phenomenon. Therefore, this technique should only be used in combination with rather low ISO settings. For better noise reduction strategies, see sections 4.3.6 and 4.5.5. With the CHDK, you have the option of switching Dark Frame Subtraction on or off, or of using it only for exposure times longer than one second (Auto). Bad Pixel Removal works quite differently and only in connection with DNG. A bad pixel map is created in advance. In section 4.5.2, we already discussed how such a map is created. When running, the script badpixel.lua grabs a bad pixel map from the camera (normally used for the creation of JPEG images) and stores it onto the card. The map itself is created when the camera is manufactured and is part of the firmware. Therefore, and in contrast to Dark Frame Subtraction, Bad Pixel Removal catches not only hot pixels but also dark, dead pixels. Because Bad Pixel Removal only replaces single pixels, it does not worsen the overall signal-to-noise ratio. The catch is that the bad pixel map is static and doesn’t reflect the fact that bad pixels increase with both exposure time and the lifetime of the camera.

4.5.3 Other RAW parameters RAW files saved by the CHDK are not equipped with EXIF data (DNG files are). This sounds like a drawback because EXIF data are very useful for processing and archiving images. Vital information such as exposure time, aperture, ISO speed, focal length, distance, etc., would be missing without the EXIF data. But because the CHDK always stores both a RAW file and a JPEG file (which does contain EXIF data), the missing EXIF data in the RAW file can be easily restored from the JPEG file.

4.5

Prefixes and Suffixes Tools such as DNG4PS-2 (section 4.5.4) and ZoRa Photo Director can automatically pick the EXIF data from a corresponding JPEG file when processing RAW images—provided that the image name starts with the prefix IMG_ and that both the JPEG and RAW files are stored in the same folder. You should enable the option RAW File in Dir with JPEG and set the parameter RAW File Prefix to IMG_ in order to make use of these tools. The CHDK allows you to select different file name extensions for RAW files. The purpose of this is to trick image uploaders that are not designed to upload RAW images into uploading RAW files. However, if your image uploader can handle the CRW file extension, or if you work with a card reader, you should definitely use the CRW extension. Similarly, you should use the extension DNG when you use DNG as your output format. Enable the option ‘DNG’ file extension.

4.5.4 Processing RAW images Many photo editors such as Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Picture Window, and so on can import RAW images. And then there are the specialized, workflow-oriented RAW developers such as Aperture, Lightroom, CaptureOne, Helicon Filter, BreezeBrowser, SilkyPix, DxO, RawTherapee, and others. These programs have highly specialized tools for developing RAW images. Many lens and sensor imperfections—such as chromatic aberration, pincushion distortion, vignetting, sensor noise, and dead or hot pixels—can be corrected. You will be surprised by the quality you can get from the lens of your compact camera. Unfortunately, not all of the above programs are happy with the RAW format produced by the CHDK. One notable exception is the free RAW developer RawTherapee, which does an excellent job of converting CRW files into TIFFs or JPEGs. Your other option is to use the DNG format as RAW format (section 4.5.2). Alternatively, you can do the conversion from RAW to DNG on a PC with the help of the free program DNG4PS-2. You may very well ask, which is better: to conveniently create the DNG file in-camera, or to shoot in native RAW format and let DNG4PS-2 convert the images to DNG? The results are actually quite similar. This makes sense, since RAW-to-DNG conversion never modifies the sensor data but only repackages it. The only exceptions are the bad pixels. When creating the DNG file in camera, bad pixels can be removed (section 4.5.2). This is not the case when you create a CRW file and convert it to DNG with DNG4PS.

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Figure 4-36 The Settings dialog of DNG4PS. The program is able to furnish the resulting DNG files with the EXIF data found in the corresponding JPEG files. You must specify your camera under the tabs Camera types and Camera options.

On the other hand, the DNG files produced by DNG4PS are about 30 percent smaller. DNG4PS applies some lossless compression, which the CHDK does not do—for speed reasons, obviously. But if disk space is an issue, you could always feed the resulting DNG files into the Adobe DNG Converter and compress them even further! That is actually all the Adobe DNG Converter can do for you—in particular, it does not understand the RAW format CRW produced by the CHDK. So, yes, I prefer the in-camera creation of DNG files.

4.5.5 In-camera RAW processing You don’t necessarily need a PC to process RAW files. With the CHDK it is possible to develop RAW files within the camera. The selected RAW file will be converted into a JPEG file. Why should you do this? The advantage is that you can apply some processing parameters after a shot has been taken, for example Color Accent, Color Swap, one of the choices in MyColors, or a different White Balance setting. You can even create different versions from the same RAW

4.5

Shooting RAW

53

original. And because custom curves (section 4.3.8) are considered during RAW development, you can create different variations of the image using different curves. How do you do this? It’s very simple: 1. Create your original file as a true RAW file (not as a DNG file). 2. Invoke the menu entry ALT > MENU > RAW Parameters > RAW Develop. This will bring up the file browser (section 4.10.1). 3. Navigate to the image folder (e.g., CANON101/), find the image (using date and time for orientation), and press FUNC/SET. 4. The camera will now ask you to switch to Recording Mode. To do so, press ALT again. If the camera is in Playback Mode, switch to Recording Mode. 5. Set your processing parameters (see above). See the manufacturer’s manual for instructions. 6. Press the shutter button. Instead of taking a shot, the camera will read the RAW file and produce a JPEG file using the current camera settings.

4.5.6 More RAW processing The possibilities don’t stop with the RAW processing discussed in section 4.5.5. The context menu of the file browser (see section 4.10.1) opens a whole new world of addititional RAW processing options. You can reach the file browser through ALT > MENU > Miscellaneous Stuff > File Browser or ALT > MENU > RAW Parameters > RAW Develop. Figure 4-37 In the file browser, you can mark files by pressing the RIGHT button on each file that you want to select. Pressing the RIGHT button on a marked file removes the mark. Pressing the LEFT button pops up the context menu. Pressing LEFT again closes the context menu.

Besides the traditional file browser operations such as Cut, Copy, Delete, Select Inverse (section 4.10.1), there are some interesting RAW processing functions. Again, they only apply to true RAW files, not to DNG files.

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f RAW sum. This function adds the pixel values of all marked RAW files.

f

f f

f

f

The effect is similar to taking an exposure with a longer exposure time. For example, if you add 10 images, each exposed at 15 seconds, the resulting image will almost look like an image taken with an exposure time of 150 sec. This operation is very similar to the double exposures taken with analog cameras. The resulting image gets the same name as the last of the marked images, but the file name extension is set to .WAV in order to identify the file as the result of the RAW merge operation. RAW average. A similar operation, but it computes the average of the pixel values instead of their sum. Thus, 10 images exposed at 15 seconds will produce an image with the exposure time of 15 seconds. The main reason for using this operation is to reduce noise. Averaging images is the most effective method of noise reduction without losing detail. Make sure that the single images are perfectly aligned and that there are no moving objects. Mounting the camera on a sturdy tripod and using the series function (section 4.6.2), an intervalometer script (section 5.7.1), or a remote control (section 4.9) is a must. If you don’t have a tripod at hand, see section 4.3.6. RAW develop. This function performs the same as the one discussed in section 4.5.5 but applies RAW development to all marked images. Purge RAW. This function purges all orphaned RAW files (but not DNG files) that don’t have a corresponding JPEG file from a selected folder. When applied inside a folder, it purges only orphaned RAW files that are not marked. Therefore, marking a file can protect it from the Purge operation. Typically, the Purge operation is used after you have deleted some images with the native camera function. The native function only deletes JPEG images, not the corresponding RAW files. So, purging can reclaim some memory. Warning: Purging cannot be undone. It is safest to do a backup of the card before applying the Purge function. Sub from marked. This function subtracts the currently highlighted image from all marked images. The resulting files get names composed from the original file names, the Raw subtract prefix, and the Raw subtract extension. Typically, image subtraction is used to detect movements in a scene (for example, astronomers find new supernovas by subtracting images). Again, use a sturdy tripod and a self-timer or remote control (section 4.9) to trigger the shutter. If you unintentionally introduce some shift between the images, relief images are more or less the result. DNG > CHDK RAW. The operations above all require true RAW files. But if your shots are DNG files, all is not lost. Using this function, you can convert marked DNG files back to RAW.

4.6

Bracketing

55

The functions Average, Sum, and Develop can also be invoked programmatically via a Lua script (section 5.5.9), which allows automating such superimposition tasks completely.

4.6

Bracketing

Bracketing is a camera function that produces a series of photos with varying settings. Traditionally, bracketing was used to obtain an image with perfect exposure. First, an image with the measured exposure was made, then an image half an f-stop overexposed, then an image half an f-stop underexposed, then the same with a full f-stop. Even analog cameras had the ability to perform bracketing in an automated fashion—which wasted a lot of film. Today, with digital imaging, bracketing can still be used to obtain a perfectly exposed picture. It also has found new applications [Gulbins2009]. Combining the different pictures of a bracketing series into a single image has become quite easy, and new algorithms for image processing provide results that analog photographers can only dream of. The traditional exposure series can now be used to combine the differently exposed images into a single image with a wider dynamic range. This type of photography—called High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography (section 4.6.2)—has become fairly popular among serious amateur photographers. The results often resemble a painting rather than a photograph. During post-processing, you have many options for compressing the huge dynamic range into a smaller and printable (or viewable) dynamic range. It is certainly a matter of personal preference and taste as to how the results will look. Exposure values aren’t the only items that can be bracketed; the same is possible with focal distance. Starting from a measured or manually set distance, the camera can make exposures with longer distances and shorter distances (section 4.6.3). Later, during post-processing on a PC, the images can be combined with the help of a special focus stacker. These programs select the sharpest parts of each image and combine them into a single image. The results are images with an extended Depth of Field (DOF). This technique is typically used in macro photography where the depth of field is very small. Figure 4-38 The Bracketing submenu is reached

4.6.1 General bracketing notes

via ALT > MENU > Extra Photo Operations > Bracketing in Continuous

Setting up the camera for an unlimited series of bracketing shots is very easy under the CHDK. Just go to the Bracketing submenu and set the values for the entries found there:

Mode. Here we see a typical configuration for shooting HDR images.

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f TV Bracketing Value. This entry is used for modifying the exposure time

f

f f

f

f f

during a series. A value of 2 results in an exposure time multiplication factor of 22 = 4. So, if you start with 1/100 sec, you will get a shutter speed series of 1/100, 1/25, 1/400, 1/6, 1/1600, and so on. This type of bracketing is typically used for HDR work (section 4.6.2). It can also be used for getting the perfect exposure when AV bracketing is not available. AV Bracketing Value. This entry allows you to modify the aperture for the individual shots in a series. For example, if you set the value to one f-stop and the aperture to 5.6, you will end up with a series shot at apertures 5.6, 4.0, 8.0, 2.8, 11, etc. AV bracketing is not suited for HDR work because the depth of field changes with each aperture change; but it’s a good option for getting a perfectly exposed single image. This menu entry is only available on cameras with a diaphragm. Subj.Dist.Bracket Value. This entry is used for focus stacking, which is discussed in the next section. ISO Bracketing Value. This entry allows you to modify the ISO value. The subentry Value Factor specifies a factor that is multiplied with the ISO Bracketing Value—just to save you a few hundred keystrokes. The result is added and subtracted from the original ISO value. For example, if you start with an ISO value of 100, an ISO Bracketing Value of 2, and a Value Factor of 10, you will end up with a series of 100, 120, 80, 140, 60, etc. ISO bracketing is well suited for classical exposure bracketing when you need the perfectly exposed single image, especially if AV bracketing is not available. It is not as well suited for HDR work (see above) because the signal-to-noise ratio changes with each ISO setting. Bracketing Type. There are three bracketing types. Choosing “+/–” will result in a series with alternating over- and underexposed images, typically used for finding the perfect exposure and for HDR work. The option “–” will result in a series of increasingly underexposed images. Finally, the option “+” will result in a series of increasingly overexposed images. The last two options are often used for focus stacking. Clear Bracket Value on Start. If this option is enabled, the bracketing values will be reset to default when the camera is powered up. Add RAW Suffix. When this option is enabled and you shoot RAW images, a suffix is added to the names of the resulting RAW files, for example, IMG_2041_01.DNG, IMG_2041_02.DNG, IMG_2041_03.DNG. This allows you to easily identify the bracketing series later. However, in the CHDK file browser of DryOS cameras (section 2.2), the files will show up as IMG_20~1.DNG, IMG_20~2.DNG, IMG_20~3.DNG, because the file browser is limited to 8.36 filenames on this platform.

6

At most, eight characters in front of the dot, three behind it.

4.6

To enable bracketing, you must also set Disable Overrides in the submenu Extra Photo Operations to Off (section 4.3.1) if you enabled the option Include AutoISO & Bracketing in the same submenu. Then switch the camera to Continuous mode. On cameras that support multiple shots taken with the Custom Timer, Custom Timer is another possible option. This would allow you to predefine the number of shots to be taken.

4.6.2 HDR and tone mapping High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Dynamic Range Increase (DRI) Photography have become quite popular among digital photographers. Both techniques are used for recording contrast ranges that are beyond the maximum contrast range of a state-of-art camera sensor [Howard2008][Bloch2007]. Photographic scenes—especially those in full sunlight—can have a dynamic range of 16 to 25 Light Values (LV) or f-stops. Even the human eye cannot capture such extreme contrast (it is limited to approximately 14 LV) but must adapt itself when looking at dark or bright areas. The eye can do this because it scans only a narrow area of a scene. The signals produced by the eye are then processed by the brain, which composes them into a whole scene again. The camera does not have this ability. It must record an entire scene in one step and therefore should be able to capture all the contrast in a scene. That, of course, is not yet possible. Modern camera sensors can record a dynamic range of 11–13 LV, a theoretical value that is lowered by noise and other imperfections. In real-world applications, a camera sensor can capture a contrast range of 8–10 LV with good quality. When showing an image on an LCD screen, a dynamic range of 5–7 LV can be reproduced, and when printing an image on photo quality paper, 6 LV is a reasonable assumption. Because of this situation, you have to decide on the brightness subrange that you wish to record—meaning that you must choose the correct exposure. Brightness values outside that range will record as totally black shadows and totally white highlights with no detail. The contrast in the recorded image, which by now is 8–10 LV, must still be compressed in order to reproduce all details in the image on a print or on a screen. Typically, this is done in a photo editor such as Photoshop or Paintshop Pro by modifying the brightness curve. With the CHDK, however, it can also be done in-camera by using Custom Curves (section 4.3.8). This tone mapping requires a bit of skill from the photographer; a brightness curve that is too steep will result in contrasty images with blown-out highlights and dead shadows. A brightness curve that is too flat will result in a flat picture, and vice versa.

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Enter the HDR method. The higher dynamic range is simply achieved by making several images of the same subject: an image with the correct exposure, an image two f-stops overexposed, and an image two f-stops underexposed. You can go even further and make additional images: +4 f-stops, –4 f-stops, +6 f-stops, and –6 f-stops. Given a camera sensor contrast range of 8 LV (which should be a reasonable value for a compact camera), we can capture a scene brightness range of 12, 16, or 20 LV with this method. There are a few rules to follow when creating such a bracketing series: f Zoom value, focus, aperture, white balance, and (if possible) sensor

f f

f

f

speed must not be changed because such changes cause image changes. All bracketing should be done by changing the shutter speed. The sensor speed should be set to a low value, such as ISO 50 or ISO 100, to avoid sensor noise. There should be no moving objects in the scene. Some HDR composers are able to remove moving objects (ghosts) from an image, but not always with good success. So beware of cars, moving people and animals, and wind (leaves and branches move). At night, even the stars and the moon can cause problems. The illumination of the scene should not change during a bracketing series. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the HDR composer to put the images together correctly. It is certainly an advantage to put the camera on a tripod, but modern HDR composers are able to register the single images with each other even if they are taken hand-held.

If all these conditions are met, you can set up your camera to shoot a bracketing series: f Typically you would use a TV Bracketing Value of 2 and the Bracketing

Type “+/–”. f If you want the best quality, shoot RAW images. If you do, make sure that the options ALT > MENU > RAW Parameters > Only First RAW in Series and ALT > MENU > RAW Parameters > Exceptions > Disable Raw@Burst are disabled. f You now have the choice of setting the camera to Continuous mode, or of setting up the Custom Timer with 0 seconds delay and 3, 5, or even 7 shots. If you use Continuous mode, you need to count the pictures yourself. The advantage of this mode is that you can pause the series when somebody or someone moves into the scene. Just half-release the shutter button and press it fully when you want to continue. The Custom Timer, in contrast, does all counting for you—you just have to press the shutter button.

4.6

After you have taken the individual images, the image series must be postprocessed and combined into one single image. If you produced RAW images, you should develop them with a RAW developer (section 4.5.4). Even if your HDR image composer is able to accept RAW files, a RAW developer will give you superior results because of the corrections that can be applied to lens and sensor imperfections. You should at least reduce the chromatic aberration and the noise and apply a first sharpening to the images. Start with the first image in the series—the “correctly” exposed image—and then apply exactly the same development parameters to all of the images in the series. Most RAW developers allow you to copy the development parameters from one image and apply them to others. Of course, your target file format would be TIFF and not JPEG because TIFF is lossless. Next comes the step of composition. HDR and DRI composers know two techniques for composing HDR series: f Weighted average. The pixel values of all images are added, but a weight

is applied to each pixel value. Pixel values of a dark pixel in an overexposed image get a higher weight, as do pixel values of a bright pixel in an underexposed image. f Area oriented. The picture is segmented into different brightness areas. Each area is treated differently and may get its pixels from a different source image. With this method, there is almost no blending of images. Therefore, it is well suited for images with moving objects in the scene. Ghosts are hardly possible because most pixels come from only one source image. After composition, DRI and HDR go separate ways. DRI immediately applies tone mapping to reduce the tonal range of the image to a viewable and printable size. It therefore can use standard file formats such as TIFF or JPEG for the output. HDR, in contrast, preserves the original dynamic range of the scene. Therefore, it must use specialized file formats such as OpenEXR, Radiance HDR, or 32-Bit-TIFF. Traditional file formats with 8 or 16 bits per pixel and channel cannot capture the high dynamic range of an HDR image. Once you save the composed image into an HDR-specific file format, you can open the file later and decide how to map the dynamic range of the image onto a smaller printable or viewable dynamic range. This brings up the technique of tone mapping: reducing the huge dynamic range of the composite image into something smaller. Again, there are different methods to achieve this: f Global tone mapping applies the same formula (in most cases, a logarith-

mic formula) onto each pixel. This is fast but can easily result in flat images. This technique is suitable for images with low or medium contrast. f Local tone mapping takes the neighboring pixels into account. Brightness differences between neighboring pixels are weighted higher than

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brightness differences between distant pixels. This technique results in good local contrast and is well suited for images with high contrast. The images usually look crisper than the ones created with global tone mapping because local structures are emphasized. When overdone, however, artifacts such as halos can become visible. Most of the established image editors such as Photoshop, Paintshop Pro, and Picture Window support the creation of HDR and DRI images. For serious HDR work, however, we recommend a specialized HDR composer such as the free Picturenaut (Windows), or HDR PhotoStudio, Hydra (Mac only), Photomatix Pro, FDRTools Advanced, or Dynamic Photo HDR. For an example, please see Figure 6-1.

4.6.3 Focus stacking Depth of Field (DOF) is often a problem in photography. Only a distance range within the image is sharp, while objects outside that area are blurred. In particular, telephoto shots, macro work, and tabletop photography are hampered by this problem. The traditional remedy is to stop down (or, in the case of view camera and tabletop photography, to tilt the camera’s back). Remember Group f/64—Ansel Adams and friends? The name was derived from the fact that you had to stop down the large view cameras to f/64 to obtain sharpness from near to far. Large cameras with long focal lengths are, in fact, more affected by this problem than small cameras with short focal lengths. Nevertheless, small cameras also have their problems. If they have a diaphragm, you cannot (and should not) stop down too much. Lenses with short focal lengths are subject to diffraction problems when stopped down too much. Apertures such as f/64 are definitely out of the question. Therefore, compact cameras usually can only be stopped down to f/16. Many small cameras don’t have a diaphragm at all, but use a neutral density (ND) filter in case the scene is too bright. So the camera is always working at maximum aperture with the lowest possible depth of field (DOF). Focus stacking is a technique used to solve DOF problems. Images taken with varying subject distances are combined in such a way that the sharp areas from the single images are visible and the unsharp areas are invisible. The result is a composite image with a very large DOF. This technique is especially popular in macro photography. The images can be combined manually by masking the unsharp areas of each image and then stacking the images together. However, the results are often unsatisfying because the transitions are not good. Heavy retouching is required. A better option is to use specialized programs, so-called focus stackers, for this task. Programs such as the free command line

4.6

programs enfuse and tufuse, the free programs CombineZP and Picolay, and also the commercial programs Helicon Focus, PhotoAcute Studio, and Zerene Stacker can be used. Photoshop CS4 now offers focus stacking, too. Taking the series of single photos requires a bit of planning. You must make sure that the different DOF areas of the images overlap nicely so that they can easily be combined into one large DOF area. Fortunately, the CHDK offers a DOF Calculator (section 4.2.8). Switch it on by going to ALT > MENU > OSD Parameters > DOF Calculator and enabling the entry Show DOF Calculator. To be on the safe side, enable the entry Use EXIF Subj. Dist. (PC65), too. You will probably get a reading that is a little too short, but that is better than a reading that is a little too long. Then put your camera on a tripod, point the camera at the closest point of your subject, focus, and note down the following readings: f Subject Distance (S or SD) f Depth of Field (DOF)

Also, measure the distance to the farthest point of your subject (F). F–S is your desired depth of field. Now you know the number of required shots. It can be computed from the formula 2*(F–S)/DOF. For example: given a distance of 60 mm to the nearest point of your subject, a distance of 120 mm to the farthest point of your subject, and a DOF of 12 mm, you would end up with 2*(120–60)/12 = 10 exposures. If you don’t use manual focus to do the measurements, you may want to switch your AF Frame to Center for precise focusing. Now you can configure the camera. If your camera features a manual focusing mode, switch it on. Now dial in the following values: f To enable bracketing, you must set Disable Overrides in the submenu

Extra Photo Operations to Off (section 4.3.1) if you had enabled the option Include AutoISO & Bracketing (in the same submenu). Do not use Overrides for the subject distance. f Now go to ALT > MENU > Extra Photo Operations > Bracketing in Continuous Mode. Dial half of the measured DOF into the menu entry Subj.Dist. Bracket Value. You need to set the subentry Value Factor unequal Off. For example, if you measured a DOF of 100 mm, you could set the Value Factor to 10 mm and the Subj.Dist.Bracket Value to 5. This would result in a bracketing value of 50 mm. f As Bracketing Type select “+”. The camera will then make exposures with increasing subject distance. For example, if you start at a subject distance of 500 mm and a bracket value of 50 mm, the camera will take exposures at 500 mm, 550 mm, 600 mm, and so on. f Then switch the camera to Continuous mode. Again, focus on the nearest point of your subject. Holding the shutter button half-pressed, turn

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the camera a bit to put your subject nicely into the frame. Start shooting by pressing the shutter button down and holding it there. Either count the required number of pictures until you release the shutter, or simply watch the display and observe how the sharpness area moves beyond the farthest point of the subject matter.

Figure 4-39 Magnolia. Canon Digital Elph 1100SD (Ixus 80 IS). 1/60 sec, f/2.8, ISO 160. f=6.2 mm (~38 mm). Top left is the first shot in a series of nine images; top right is the last. At a near distance of 142 mm, the measured DOF was 15 mm. The Subj.Dist.Bracket Value was therefore set to 7 mm. The whole covered range of sharpness is 10 x 7 = 70 mm. Image composition was performed with CombineZP. No artifacts were created during composition, so retouching could remain at a minimum (some dust spots on the surface).

4.7

4.7

Edge overlay

63

Edge overlay

The CHDK Edge Overlay function is able to extract the edges from an image as soon as you half-press the shutter button and overlay the resulting diagram with the current content of the display. This allows viewing the previous shot and the current shot in context, making it easy to register images and apply techniques such as onion skinning7. Figure 4-40 Edge overlay during a panorama shot. When the first image is taken, the CHDK extracts the edges of the subject. Then the camera is turned. Because the first image is still visible as a “ghost”, the photographer gets the opportunity to register the next shot with the previous one.

Edge overlay has applications in panorama photography, stereo photography (with a single camera), time-lapse photography, bracketing photography, and more. Of course, it is possible to choose the color of the edge overlay (menu entry Edge overlay color) or to show the edge overlay in Replay mode. A threshold value (Edge overlay threshold) determines which brightness differences are regarded as edge. The lower this value, the more and wider edge lines you get; higher values create fewer and finer lines. With the menu entry Lock Edge Overlay, you can temporarily freeze an existing edge diagram so that it is not replaced by a new one when you half-press the shutter button. Typically, you would use this option when you want to register several images with one and the same reference image. Edge overlays can be saved (Save Edge Overlay) to the folder CHDK/EDGE/ on the memory card. This allows you to use them at a later time. The function Load Edge Overlay opens the file browser (section 4.10.1), allowing you to select an edge overlay file. For example, if you want to photograph a tree at different times throughout the year, you could save an edge diagram of the first picture and reload it when you return to the scene. By registering the diagram with the image in the display, you can be sure that the tree will always have the same position in all images. The zoom level is saved with the edge overlay as well, so when you reload an edge overlay (Load Edge Overlay), the camera is optionally set to the stored zoom level if option Load+Set Zoom is enabled. 7

The term onion skinning refers to a technique of creating animated cartoons by overlaying individual frames drawn on onionskin paper.

Figure 4-41 The Edge overlay submenu

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The Edge Overlay function allocates some internal memory. When an overlay is no longer needed, it is possible to regain the memory with the function Free internal memory. Normally, this is only necessary on cameras where internal memory is scarce.

4.8

Figure 4-42 The submenu for Video Parameters

More video options

The video functions of small cameras are often overlooked by photographers. We take photographs, not video clips, right? Well, with the CHDK activated you may change your mind. Video sequences are quite memory-hungry. That is the reason why the camera compresses all video frames. Doing so saves a large amount of memory but also reduces quality. To support different requirements, the camera offers different video modes: 640 (640x480 pixels), 640 LP, and 320 (320x240 pixels). Compared to 640, the 640 LP mode generates only half the amount of data, so that the maximum length of a video sequence is doubled—albeit at a lower quality. The 320 mode produces only a third of the data, resulting in a tripled maximum length. Some cameras also offer a Compact mode (160x120 pixels for sending videos by email) that reduces the amount of data by around a factor of nine. Here, the clip length is restricted to three minutes. Generally, the clip length is restricted to 4 GB or one hour, whichever is shorter. Some older cameras only allow for 1 GB, but the CHDK removes that limit. In addition, the CHDK allows you extended and fine-grained control over video quality and compression. You have the option (in menu entry Video Mode) to specify the quality, either in terms of compression (CBR mode, Constant Bitrate) or quality (VBR mode, Variable Bitrate). When the quality mode is used, the quality remains constant and the camera automatically adapts the bitrate to the quality setting and subject matter. A higher quality setting leads, of course, to a higher bitrate—and a subject with finer details as well. f The Video Bitrate can be set to the values 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.25, 1.5,

1.75, 2, 2.5 and 3. f The Video Quality can be set to a value between 1 and 99, with 99 representing the best quality with the least compression. The camera’s native 640 mode is equivalent to a setting of 70–75. So, you can in fact get a better quality than what the native video mode provides. In particular, close-ups and out-of-focus objects will look more natural. However, it may well be that the camera or the memory card is unable to handle such a large amount of data. In this case, the CHDK shows a warning sign (!) on the display. When the camera’s internal buffers overflow, the video sequence is aborted in a controlled manner.

4.8

Let’s discuss the other parameters: f Clear Video Params on Start? Enable this entry if you want to reset the

camera’s video facility to its native state on power-up. f Fast Video Control? This allows you to pause the video recording with

f

f

f

f

f

f

the LEFT button. You can then resume with the RIGHT button. Note: This does not work with all cameras. Video Quality Control? This allows you to change the video quality or bitrate DURING recording with the UP (increase) or DOWN (decrease) buttons. Again, this does not work with all cameras. Enable Optical Zoom. Many of the supported cameras do not allow the use of optical zoom during recording, but rather restrict the zoom to the range of the Digital Zoom. Digital Zoom is not a bad thing when recording video; it is silent, and the quality does not suffer much because the camera sensor has a much higher resolution than what is needed for video. Still, in combination with the Optical Zoom, you can get those long-range zooming shots. For instance, when the optical zoom range is 3 and the digital zoom range is 4, you would get a zoom range of 12. Unfortunately, for most cameras, the manufacturer has disabled the Optical Zoom during recording, probably to avoid complaints from customers who are irritated about the noise from the focus mechanism in the soundtrack. The CHDK allows you to lift that restriction and enjoy a wide zoom range. And the noise? Well, some editing of the soundtrack is required. Unfortunately, the Enable Optical Zoom function does not work on all cameras (it doesn’t on my SD1100, for example). Mute During Zooming. This entry is not present on all cameras. It allows you to mute the sound recording while zooming and thus avoid recording the noise generated by the focus mechanism. AF key. This entry is not present on all cameras. It allows assigning a key (shutter halfpress or FUNC/SET) to the autofocus function. Pressing this button during recording will cause an autofocus scan. For example, when you start your sequence at infinity and pan on a close subject, you can press this button and refocus on that subject. Show Remaining Videotime. This entry controls the OSD during video recording. You can hide the remaining recording time (Don’t), show it (hh:mm:ss), show the current bitrate in kilobytes per second (KB/s), or show both remaining time and bitrate. Refresh Rate (~sec). This entry controls how often the remaining video time is updated. Longer intervals result in more precise values; shorter intervals are more up-to-date.

Your camera’s native video options probably include an option for creating time-lapse movies. This feature is quite limited; on my SD1100 I can select between a one and a two-second interval. In section 5.7.1 we will discuss

More video options

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how to create advanced time-lapse movies with the help of the CHDK—in HD quality, of course.

4.9

Remote control

Most Canon compact digital cameras do not come with a remote control— neither an infrared (IR) remote control nor a wire-bound unit. In contrast, some other manufacturers do provide such a unit—in most cases, an IR remote control. Such controls, however, have a few disadvantages: The distance between the IR sender and the camera is limited, and the IR sender must usually be positioned in front of the camera. Many more advanced cameras, such as DSLRs provide the option of controlling the camera through the USB port. The advantage here is that different devices, such as wire-bound remote controls or radio frequency (RF) based controls, can be connected to the camera.

4.9.1 CHDK remote control functions The CHDK equips most Canon compact cameras with exactly such capabilities. You have the choice between simple devices (battery and switch) and more complex devices that support multiple functions or that can hook up to a RC control system used for model airplanes and the like. The native mode for simple USB switches is enabled in the upper section of the Remote parameters submenu: f Enable Remote. Enables the USB remote function. When enabled, the Figure 4-43 The Remote parameters submenu can be reached via ALT > Miscellaneous Stuff > Remote parameters. It has two

camera can be controlled through the USB port. This setting applies both to scriptless and script mode. Note: You must disable this entry if you want to transfer images through the USB port to a PC. Otherwise, the PC would be recognized by the camera as a remote control.

sections: one for simple USB switches, as shown in section 4.9.2, and one for remote controls supporting the Ricoh CA1 protocol.

In scriptless mode, the camera must be in normal shooting mode and be operated through the button of the remote control. You can make the camera focus with a short click to the button of the remote control (equivalent to a shutter button half-press). To take a shot, you must perform a “reverse click”—releasing the button and immediately pressing it down again. On some cameras, the USB remote can even be used in playback mode: clicking the remote control will advance through the pictures (in reverse order) just as if you clicked the LEFT button. This can be nice; you can stand back while your audience gathers around the display.

4.9

Remote control

67

In scripted mode, the camera is in the state and is running a script. A signal at the USB port is recorded as a button click under the button name “remote”, or can be intercepted with a special command. We will discuss these scripts in section 5.7.5.

4.9.2 Building a simple remote control In the USB specification, each pin has a special purpose. While electrical ground is assigned to Pin 4, Pin 1 is used for the supply voltage. The CHDK interprets the presence or absence of the supply voltage as a signal. You can test this easily even without a proper remote control. First, enable the Remote function, then connect a USB cable to the camera and quickly connect-disconnect-connect the other end to the USB port of a PC. Because the PC delivers supply voltage at Pin 1, the CHDK will interpret this as a signal from a remote control and will fire: USB Pins Pin

Purpose

Wire Color

1

VCC (+5V)

Red

2

Data –

White

3

Data +

Green

4

Ground

Black

A USB cable release is relatively easy to build. A small battery is needed to supply a voltage of not more than 5V (Warning: the USB specification allows for a maximum of 5V. Your camera might be damaged if you use a higher voltage.) The minimum voltage required depends on the camera. You may find it on the CameraFeatures reference page of the CHDK wiki (http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CameraFeatures). Some cameras are happy with 3 volts (or even less), but other cameras require up to 4.5 volts. Figure 4-44

Switch

Wiring diagram for a USB remote switch. The battery here delivers 4.5 volts, which should be sufficient for

+

any camera. This voltage is safe even if

Battery 3 x 1.5 V

1 red 4 black Type A USB receptable

the camera operates at a lower voltage. The USB specifications require the camera to tolerate a voltage of 5V or less at Pin 1. But be sure to get the polarity of the battery right: wrong polarity could damage your camera!

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So, what do you need to build a cable release? First, a USB cable that you can sacrifice, then a switch and a battery. A good option is a small LED flashlight that you can buy for a few cents. With such a flashlight, a USB Type-A to mini-A cable, and some soldering skills, you can build your own remote control. For an example, see https://sites.google.com/site/canonremotehowto/. For building a DIY infrared remote control, see www.instructables.com/id/Remote-for-Canon-Compact-Cameras/.

Figure 4-45 A cheap LED flashlight (1) is the basis for a homemade USB remote control. It’s important that it have a switch and not be turned on or off by twisting its head. This one has four batteries resulting in a voltage of 6V. One of the batteries must be removed because we only need 4.5V. The spring at the bottom end must be stretched a bit to bridge the gap of the missing battery. The LED (2) is twisted off with tweezers. A voltmeter is used to test which contacts are positive and negative. Then the larger USB plug is removed from a spare mini USB cable. The head of the flashlight is stripped over the cable; then the red wire is soldered to the positive contact (3) and the black wire to the negative contact. The flashlight head is screwed on again and sealed with epoxy or hot glue (4).

4.9.3 SDM functions The remaining functions in the Remote parameters submenu under the header “synchable remote” (Figure 4-43) were originally developed in the Stereo Data Maker (SDM) project (section 7.5) but are now also part of the CHDK. These functions require a Ricoh CA1 or a compatible remote control. f Enable Remote. This entry enables the SDM functionality in scriptless f

f

f f

mode. The camera can now be controlled through the Ricoh CA-1. Enable Synch. Allows synchronizing two or more cameras through linked remote controls. This option is typically used for stereo or matrix photography (section 7.7.4). Enable Synch Delay. Enables delay settings for synchronized cameras down to 1/10,000 sec. Although not recommended, it is possible to synchronize different camera models by using a Synch Delay with one camera (section 7.7.4). Synch Delay 0.1ms. A delay can be dialed in down to 1/10,000 sec. This is added to the value in the following entry. Synch Delay 0.1s. A delay can be dialed in down to 1/10 sec. This is added to the value in the previous entry.

4.9

f Enable Remote Zoom. Allows controlling the zoom of multiple synchro-

nized cameras through the remote control on cameras with a single zoom switch or rocker. To do so, the camera must first be brought into remote zoom mode. This is done by manually clicking the zoom switch quickly. The blue button should light up, and the zoom can now be operated using the button on the remote. When it reaches the longest or shortest focal length, the zoom direction will reverse. You can exit the zoom mode by half-pressing the shutter button, by half-pressing the Ricoh switch, or by simply waiting for time-out (see below). Afterwards, the remote control can be used to fire the shutter. f Zoom Time-out 0.1s. Specifies a zoom time-out value in seconds. (The label specifies an incorrect time unit of 0.1 sec. The actual time unit is 1 sec.) After this time, the camera leaves the zoom mode and returns to normal shooting mode. Time-out values between 2 and 10 seconds are possible.

4.9.4 Extra hardware It isn’t really necessary to learn soldering to get your own remote control device. Some vendors are offering devices that can hook up to the camera’s USB port and that are supported by the CHDK. f The Ricoh CA1 USB remote control works with the CHDK functions

listed under “synchable remote”. The release button has a half-pressed and a pressed position. A double click is therefore not necessary to shoot a picture. A single 1.5V AAA cell powers the device. A built-in DC-DC converter pushes the 1.5V up to the required signal voltage. f The GentLED devices from Gentles Limited (www.gentles.ltd.uk/ gentled/) allow remote control of cameras by wire, infrared, or RC control systems. These products support both the Ricoh CA1 and the native CHDK protocol. Using the native protocol, these devices can encode different functions using different pulse lengths that can be evaluated by a script. For example, the different joysticks of an RC remote control can be assigned to different functions, such as shooting, zooming, or focusing.

4.9.5 Tethered shooting? Tethered shooting is the ability to transfer images immediately to a connected PC without saving them on a memory card. In a studio situation or for time-lapse work, this makes a lot of sense because you aren’t limited by the capacity of the card. You also save the extra step of transferring images.

Remote control

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Does the CHDK support tethered shooting? Currently, no. If you are looking for this functionality, you may want to check out the program PSRemote from Breeze systems. If your camera is on the manufacturer’s list of supported Powershot models, you will be able to control the camera from the PC and upload images immediately. You even get a remote live viewfinder on the PC screen, along with some of the tricks the CHDK is famous for, such as grids, automatic bracketing, and overlays. If you own an older Powershot model, you may want to try Canon’s own remote control software, Remote Capture, that comes for free. Unfortunately, Canon has discontinued this software; the latest version is from 2004. Another option is to use a wireless SD card such as the Eye-Fi card (www. eye.fi) for automatic transfer from camera to computer. Finally, with the CHDK spin-off Stereo Data Maker (SDM), you can do semi-tethered shooting. Here, a script can alternate between shooting and uploading images to the PC-based WIA loader (section 7.6).

4.10 Utilities Apart from photographic functions, the CHDK also implements some utilities and fun programs such as a file browser, file reader, calendar, and games. These programs can be accessed via ALT > MENU > Miscellaneous Stuff.

4.10.1 File browser

Figure 4-46 The Miscellaneous submenu allows accessing utilities and also provides various display options.

The file browser is invoked via ALT > MENU > Miscellaneous Stuff > File Browser. It is used to inspect the content of the memory card and to manage the files and folders found there (Figure 4-47). Navigation in the file browser is easy. Simply use the UP and DOWN buttons to select a folder, and press FUNC/SET to move into that folder. The zoom rocker can be used to scroll a whole page up or down. Navigating backwards into a parent folder is performed by selecting the entry ../ and pressing FUNC/SET. Selected files and folders can be deleted with the DISP button. After pressing this button, you are asked if you want to delete the selected file. Use the LEFT button to highlight YES and press FUNC/SET to delete the file. Folders can only be deleted if they don’t contain nonempty subfolders. If they do, first navigate inside the folder and delete the subfolders. Then return to the parent folder to delete the folder in question. The RIGHT button can be used to mark files. Another click on the RIGHT button removes the mark from marked files. Marked files play a role in the

4.10

Utilities

71

functions from the context menu. This is invoked by pressing the LEFT button. Another click on the LEFT button closes the context menu. Figure 4-47 The functions of the context menu apply to marked files only. Here, two files are marked (appearing here as grayed).

Most of the functions of the context menu are related to RAW file processing. We have already discussed that function in section 4.5.6. Only a few general file management functions remain: f Cut. Cuts all marked files from the current folder and stores them in the f f f f

clipboard. If no file is marked, the selected file is cut. Copy. Copies all marked files from the current folder and stores them in the clipboard. If no file is marked, the selected file is copied. Paste. This function is only available if the clipboard does contain files. It will copy the files in the clipboard into the current folder. Delete. Deletes all marked files. If no file is marked, the selected file is deleted. Select Inverse. Unmarked files are marked, and marked files are unmarked.

4.10.2 Text file reader The Text File Reader is typically used to look into text files stored on the memory card. For example, you might want to look into the comments of a script file, or read a README file or some other documentation. As its name says, the Text File Reader only allows reading files, not modifying them. It is also restricted to plain text files—PDFs, HTML pages, or Office files are not in the scope of the Text File Reader. When starting the Text File Reader with the function Open New File… you will first see a file browser showing the contents of the folder CHDK/ BOOKS/. Now navigate to the file that you want to open and press FUNC/ SET. If you want to reopen the file later, you can invoke Open Last Opened File.

Figure 4-48 The Text File Reader allows opening and reading text files. It has its own settings for fonts and codepage, and supports word wrapping and auto scroll.

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When the file is showing, you can scroll downwards with the RIGHT button, the DOWN button, and the ZOOM_IN button. You can scroll upwards with the LEFT button, the UP button, and the ZOOM_OUT button. The MENU button leads back to the Text File Reader submenu: f Here, the function Select RBF Font opens the font browser (section

4.2.2). A larger font may be easier to read, but it also reduces the amount of text that can be displayed on one page. Not all fonts support all national characters. So, if national characters (umlauts and the like) don’t display correctly, you may want to try another font. f The Codepage option allows selecting between Win1251 and DOS codepages. If a text file does not display correctly and shows strange characters, you might want to try the other codepage. f The reader always wraps lines that are too long to display into the next line. When the option Wrap by Words is set, it will try not to wrap within words but to honor word boundaries. f Finally, the Enable Autoscroll option can make the reader scroll automatically. Every time the specified Delay expires, the reader scrolls down one page.

4.10.3 Getting information about the camera Under ALT > MENU > Miscellaneous Stuff there are a few useful functions that display information about the camera: f Show build info. Shows the current version of the CHDK in use and re-

lated information. f Show memory info. Displays free memory available in the camera RAM

and the space used by the CHDK. More information is found in the Debug submenu. Most of this information supports CHDK developers, but some of it may be useful for “normal” users. Warning: Before playing around with the options of this submenu, make a backup of your memory card—and in particular, a backup of the CHDK configuration file CHDK/CCHDK.CFG. Entering bad values can cause the CHDK to fail at start-up. In this case, you must be able to restore the configuration file from an earlier version (section A.2). f Debug Data display. This can be used for displaying Property Cases (sec-

tion 5.6), parameters, and operating system tasks (only when running under VxWorks) on the OSD. Because there are many of these values, the display can be positioned to a section within the values by setting the entries PropCasePage and Task List start to appropriate values.

4.11

f Show Misc Values. Shows some values for service and programming

purposes. f Memory Browser. Invokes the memory browser that displays memory content on the screen. The memory address can be changed with the LEFT and RIGHT buttons; the DISP button changes the step width (Incr). The MENU button returns to the Debug submenu. f Benchmark. Launches a benchmark utility for evaluating the performance of the camera memory, display, and memory card. Simply press FUNC/SET to start the benchmark, sit back, and wait. Press MENU to return to the Debug submenu. f ALT +/- debug action. Assigns specific debug functions to the +/- key (DISP key on SD/Ixus). If set to DmpRAM, the key will write a complete memory dump to the card. If set to Page, the key will scroll through Property Cases and Parameters (see above) and toggle the scrolling direction when pressed twice. If set to CmpProp, the key will compare Property Cases. To use this function, first press the +/- key in mode; then leave the mode and change some camera settings; then return to the mode and press the +/- key again. The display will now show up to 12 Property Case values that have changed.

4.11 Novelty Finally, there are a few functions that seem to have absolutely nothing to do with photography. But maybe you want to play a few games with your camera while you wait for the right shooting light.

4.11.1 Games Games on a camera? Why not! If you can take photos with a Nintendo Gameboy, why not play games with your camera? So, the CHDK offers four games: Connect4, Mastermind, Reversi, and Sokoban. You’ll find all of these games in the submenu ALT > MENU > Miscellaneous Stuff > Games. Before invoking a game, you must put the camera into Replay mode. The game starts right away, and you can use the following keys to interact: f Reversi: UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT: Move cursor; FUNC/SET: Draw/Restart

Game; DISPLAY: Camera against camera; MENU: back to the Games submenu. f Sokoban: UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT: Move; FUNC/SET: Change level (only at start of a game); DISPLAY: Restart current level; ZOOM_OUT: Undo moves; ZOOM_IN: Redo moves; MENU: back to the Games submenu.

Novelty

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f Connect4: LEFT, RIGHT: Select column; FUNC/SET: Drop ball/Restart

game; MENU: back to the Games submenu. f Mastermind: LEFT, RIGHT: Select column; UP, DOWN: Select color; FUNC/SET: Next row/Restart game; MENU: back to the Games submenu. While trying to beat your camera, you should now and then have a look at the battery level displayed in the lower part of the info section. Maybe you’ll still need some battery power when the shooting light turns perfect.

4.11.2 Flashlight The Flashlight option (ALT > MENU > Miscellaneous Stuff > Flashlight) is only available on cameras with a fold-out display. When in Record mode, the display turns out, swivels towards the scene, and turns all-white. This allows you to illuminate the scene during set-up, or simply use it as a flashlight to find your way in the dark. However, it cannot act as a light source when you actually take a shot; the camera turns the display dark at that very moment.

4.12 The CHDK configuration file All of the choices that you make in the CHDK menus are stored on your memory card in the file CHDK/CCHDK.CFG. This file can be edited on the PC, too. The CHDK Config File Editor (CFGEDIT) is a utility that runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX. It allows editing this file conveniently on the large screen of your desktop or laptop computer. All you need is Java Runtime installed on your computer. Then simply download the editor and doubleclick on the JAR file to execute it. Because all configuration options are stored in a single file, it is relatively easy to switch between different configurations. The script configsw.lua developed in section 5.7.6 allows doing just that. However, this script will only switch the CHDK configuration, not the native camera configuration.

4.12

The CHDK configuration file

75

Figure 4-49 The CHDK Config File Editor in action. A double-click on an entry opens a specific editor for the selected entry value.

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5.1

5

Launching and configuring scripts

Scripting

The ability to control the camera with a script is one of the outstanding features of the CHDK. With scripting, you can automate almost every photographic task. You can shoot time series, react to motion, shoot all sorts of bracketing series for high dynamic range photography (HDR) or increased depth of field, and much more. In fact, many users say that camera automation via scripting has been the main reason they installed the CHDK. Therefore, we will discuss scripting in detail and also present some sample scripts1 from different areas where scripting can be useful. On the Internet, and in particular on the CHDK website, you will find a large number of premanufactured scripts—mostly for time series, motion detection, and bracketing. Many of these scripts have only been tested with a few camera types. So, before using such a script, try it out and establish whether it works properly with your camera. In particular, older scripts written for the DIGIC II cameras need some adaptations to run on DIGIC III or DIGIC IV cameras, and vice versa. Therefore, even if you do not plan to write your own scripts, it is worth taking a closer look at CHDK script development. Newer builds of the CHDK support two scripting languages: the simple uBasic and the more advanced Lua language. The majority of existing scripts are written in uBasic simply because it’s been supported by the CHDK since the very first version. Because uBasic is simple, it is well suited for beginners. Lua, on the other hand, requires some knowledge about basic concepts of computer programming.

5.1

Launching and configuring scripts

Scripts are stored on the memory card in the folder CHDK/SCRIPTS/ or a subfolder. To load a script, first switch to the mode, then press the FUNC/SET button2. Now the script menu will display. Select Load Script from File … and press FUNC/SET again. The file browser (section 4.10.1) will be shown positioned at folder CHDK/SCRIPTS/. Navigate to the script that you want to load and press FUNC/SET again. The script is now loaded and can 1 2

All scripts are found on the book CD. If you had set the option User Menu Enable to OnDirect, you first need to close the user menu by pressing the MENU button.

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Scripting

be executed immediately by pressing the shutter button. Pressing the shutter button another time will interrupt the script execution immediately. The next time you turn on the camera and the CHDK is activated, the selected script will be loaded automatically. To execute it, it is sufficient to switch to the mode and press the shutter button. It is even possible to run a script automatically at start-up. This is enabled by setting the entry Autostart in the script menu to On. However, you should do this only with well-tested scripts—otherwise, you could run into an error every time you turn on the camera. The Autostart feature can be used to initialize the camera with custom settings when it is switched on. For example, in automatic mode, my little SD1100 IS always switches the flash to AUTO. (In manual mode, it remembers the flash mode of the previous session.) The camera offers no option to always start with the flash switched off. This is unfortunate—I like available light shots much more than shots with the built-in flash. Sometimes, in low-light conditions, I forget to switch the flash off—the flash fires, and the mood is gone. Here, the CHDK can help. A tiny script performs the necessary key presses to switch the flash off. By loading the script flashoff.lua and setting the Autostart parameter to On, I can make sure that this script is executed at start-up and that I always start with a disabled flash. Here is the script, written in Lua: --[[ @title Flash off ]] while get_flash_mode() ~= 2 do click("right") click("right") click("set") sleep(10) end exit_alt()

It’s dead simple (apart from the header, which we will discuss later). While the function get_flash_mode() does not return the value 2 (this value indicates that the flash is switched off, see section 5.5.5), the script continues to bring up the camera’s flash menu with a click on the RIGHT button. Then it clicks RIGHT again to change the flash mode and confirms the change with a click on FUNC/SET. At the end of this sequence is a sleep(10) instruction, sending the script to sleep for 10 milliseconds and allowing the native camera tasks to do their work. The final instruction is necessary because otherwise the script would leave the camera in mode where no shooting is possible. Of course,

5.2

as soon as you load another script, the new script will run at start-up, so it is necessary to reload flashoff.lua before switching off. Many scripts can be configured with parameters. These parameters are defined in the header section of the script. After the script has been loaded, they are listed in the bottom section of the CHDK Script menu. The parameter values shown there can be modified with the LEFT, RIGHT, and FUNC/ SET keys. If a script has many parameters, it can be tedious to set up all the parameters before running the script. The CHDK therefore offers the possibility to store frequently used parameter combinations in parameter sets. Ten of those sets exist (0–9). By modifying the value of the menu entry Parameters set, you can easily switch among different parameter combinations.

uBasic

79

Figure 5-1 The CHDK Script menu. The upper half is used for general script configuration,

5.2

uBasic

such as script loading, delaying the execution of the script for a specified

The original uBasic interpreter was written by the Swedish programmer Adam Dunkels. He said, “I’ve always wanted to write a really small BASIC interpreter. So I sat down for an hour or two and did it.” It’s probably true. uBasic is tiny, and there are only a few commands to learn. The original uBasic interpreter didn’t even understand labels—instead you specified line numbers as GOTO targets, just like in the days of the legendary C64. Labels were later added by Pablo d’Angelo who is also the main contributor for the Hugin panorama stitcher. So, let’s jump right into another small script and see how uBasic looks these days. (A more systematic introduction into uBasic is given in the following sections.) The following script implements an electronic magnifying glass by switching the camera into the Digital Macro mode and setting a predefined magnification level. Also, most of the info texts are hidden from the display. @title Digital Magnifier @param m Initial Magnification @default m 3

This is the header section of the script. The title will appear at the bottom of the display after the script is loaded. You should avoid using more than 24 characters; otherwise, the title would override the indicator. The title declaration is followed by the declaration of the parameters providing input to the script. With the @param instruction, you specify a variable name and a parameter description. Variable names for parameters always consist of a single lower case letter. In newer CHDK versions, you can have variable names from a–z, in older versions only a–j. The parameter description is shown in the script menu (ALT > FUNC/SET) below the

number of 1/10 secs, resetting to the default parameter values, and switching and saving parameter sets. The lower half is reserved for the script parameters. Here are some of the parameters from the motion detection script discussed in section 5.7.3

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script title. End users are free to supply a value or to accept the default value. The @default instruction specifies this default value. Because the script needs some time to set the camera up, we use that time by giving the user something to read—for example, the usage of the camera buttons during loupe mode: print "Press MENU to cancel" print "Zoom = magnification" print "Shutter/2 = refocus"

This is good practice. When you allow for some user interaction, always explain how to use the controls. Sometimes scripts are not used for a long time, so the user might have forgotten how to operate the script. rem init if m < 1 then m = 3

Comment lines begin with the token rem. Comment lines are not executed and do not affect the state of the camera. Their purpose is documentation. Nevertheless, many comments can slow down a script. After each script line (including comments), the CHDK pauses for 10 milliseconds to let the camera do its work and look after user inputs. Newer CHDK builds, however, allow for larger comment blocks—they pause only once for up to 100 consecutive comment lines. During initialization, you should check the validity of the parameters and correct them as necessary. We set the input parameter to its default value if the user entered an invalid value. A magnification of 0 is obviously nonsense. let s = 0 if m > 1 then s = 3 if m > 2 then s = 5 if m > 3 then s = 6

From the specified magnification, we compute the zoom step value. This value will be used later for setting the zoom level. This section depends on the camera model; different camera models have different zoom granularity. While A-series cameras have 9 or 15 zoom steps, S-series cameras feature 129 steps. It would be possible to retrieve the number of zoom steps from the camera and come up with a more general logic for selecting the right zoom step, but for now we leave it at that for simplicity.

5.2

rem DigitalMacro o = get_display_mode d = 1 gosub "display" p = 0 e = -32248 gosub "mode"

Then we start to set up the camera. First, we save the current display state into variable o, so that when leaving the script we can reset the previous state. We assign the desired display state (No Info = 1) to variable d. The subroutine display will click the DISP button until that state is reached. Because uBasic subroutines do not support variables and don’t return values, we must transfer data between subroutine and caller via variables. To switch the camera mode, we will work a little bit differently. The variable p will count the number of RIGHT clicks to reach the DigitalMacro mode. We initialize it with 0. Then we assign –32248 to variable e. This value represents the DigitalMacro mode (section 5.6). The subroutine mode will pick up that value; press FUNC/SET, RIGHT, FUNC/SET repeatedly until this mode is reached. Both subroutines (display and mode) are discussed below. It’s important to know that by simulating key presses, we can reach any camera function via a script that we can reach manually. It’s good practice not to make assumptions about the initial state of the camera, and to restore the initial state when the script ends. rem set zoom level q = get_zoom gosub "zoom" gosub "focus"

Next, the initial zoom level is saved into variable q, and the desired zoom level (stored in variable s) is set in subroutine zoom. Afterwards, subroutine focus is called to focus the camera to the subject matter. cls rem Event loop until MENU pressed do wait_click if is_pressed "zoom_in" then gosub "zomin" if is_pressed "zoom_out" then gosub "zomout" if is_pressed "shoot_half" then gosub "focus" until is_pressed "menu"

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After the DigitalMacro mode is set up, the magnification is set, and the camera is focused, the screen is cleared with cls (so that printout is removed from the display). The digital magnifying glass is now ready for use. Because the script controls all camera functions in the mode, the user has by default no ability to focus or to change the zoom level. If you want to provide the user with such possibilities, you must implement the necessary interaction. The script does this within a do-loop where it waits for a key click. It analyses this click and—depending on the key pressed—calls the corresponding subroutine. The keys zoom_in and zoom_out are the zoom rockers, and the key shoot_half is the half-pressed shutter button. The loop ends when the MENU button is pressed. rem restore camera state s = q gosub "zoom" gosub "restor" d = o gosub "display" rem leave alt mode exit_alt end

After the MENU button is pressed, we clean up behind us and reset the camera to its original state. We do this by assigning the saved values for the zoom level and display state to the transfer variables s and d, and then calling the subroutines zoom and display again. For restoring shooting mode, the subroutine restor is called. Finally, the script turns the mode off. :zomin click "zoom_in" sleep 200 return :zomout click "zoom_out" sleep 200 return :focus press "shoot_half" do r = get_shooting

5.2

until r = 1 release "shoot_half" return

These are the subroutines for user interaction. They simulate button presses and wait (sleep) for some milliseconds to give the camera time to perform the task. Zooming in and out is quite simple this way. Focusing is a bit more demanding. First, we have to half-press the shutter button. Instead of using the click command that simulates only a short click, we use a press command to hold the shutter button half-down. Then we wait until the command get_shooting returns the value 1. This indicates that focusing has finished, so we can now release the shutter button. :zoom r = get_zoom if r < s then for n = r to s click "zoom_in" sleep 200 next n else if r > s then for n = s to r click "zoom_out" sleep 200 next n endif return

The subroutine zoom is used to set the initial zoom level or to restore it at the end of the script. First, it asks get_zoom for the current zoom level. If the desired zoom level in variable s is larger than the current one, it clicks the zoom_in button repeatedly to adjust for the difference—and vice versa, if the current zoom level is larger than s, the button zoom_out is clicked instead. This way, we reach the desired zoom level independently from the initial zoom level. :display r = get_display_mode while r d click "display" sleep 1250 r = get_display_mode wend return

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The subroutine display asks the camera for the current display state. The necessary clicks are performed only if it differs from the desired state. It then sleeps for a while to let the camera adjust to the new settings. This is done repeatedly until the desired result is reached. :mode r = get_prop 49 while r e click "set" sleep 1250 click "right" sleep 1250 click "set" sleep 1250 p = p + 1 r = get_prop 49 wend return

The subroutine mode works in a similar way. The main difference is that it has to perform a whole series of clicks to switch to the next mode (FUNC/ SET, RIGHT, FUNC/SET). It also counts the number of mode switches in variable p. There are many sleep instructions in this subroutine. Switching modes is quite hard work for the camera; in some cases lenses have to be shifted, and so on. Depending on the camera, some tweaking may be necessary for the necessary sleep intervals. Because there is no direct uBasic command for obtaining the current camera mode, we need to retrieve the mode in a different way. Here we read out the value of Property Case 49 (section 5.6) that reflects the current camera mode. It should be mentioned that this part of the script runs only under the DryOS operating system (Digic III and Digic IV) because property IDs and mode values differ between VxWorks and DryOS. We will see later that the script language Lua provides the necessary capabilities to write platform-independent scripts. :restor click "set" sleep 1250 for r = 1 to p click "left" next r sleep 1250 click "set" sleep 1250 return

5.3

Finally, the subroutine restor is used to restore the initial mode. It simply does the opposite of subroutine mode: instead of stepping right in the mode menu, it steps left. The number of steps is stored in variable p.

5.3

uBasic primer

After this initial hands-on contact with uBasic, we are now going to explore the language systematically.

5.3.1 Variables Variables are denoted by a single letter. While early CHDK versions only supported the letters ‘a’ – ‘j’, newer versions support the letters ‘a’ – ‘z’ and also the upper case letters ‘A’ – ‘Z’. This results in 52 different variables. However, in the script header (parameters), only lower-case variable names are allowed. Variables can contain both integer and floating-point values. String variables are not supported in uBasic. (Some CHDK spin-offs allow for string variables.)

5.3.2 Assignments Assigning a value to a variable starts with the command let, for example: let a = b * c

assigns the product of b and c to a. But let is just a noise word; we can omit it happily without any problems: a = b * c

means the same and is valid uBasic, too. In a CHDK script I would prefer this notation because it is shorter. The following arithmetic operators are supported: + Addition - Subtraction * Multiplication / Division % Remainder

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5.3.3 Output The print command can be used to show information on the camera display. A print command can have an unlimited number of parameters. Parameters are separated by commas or by semicolons. During output, the commas appear as space; the semicolons appear as no space. For example: print "a:", a;"s"

will produce the output a: 500s

if the variable a has the value of 500. Please note that an output line must not exceed 25 characters in length. The command print_screen allows capturing the output into a file. print_screen n

with n > 0 switches capturing on. All output written with print will go into file LOG_n.TXT in subfolder CHDK/LOGS/, too. n = 0 switches capturing off. For example, print_screen 5 print "hello" print_screen 0 print "bye"

will produce a file LOG_0005.TXT containing the string “hello”. Finally, the command cls (clear screen) removes the output produced with the print command from the display.

5.3.4 Conditional clauses Conditional clauses are built with the if ... then ... else ... endif construct. For example: if a < 0 then b = 3 else b = 4 endif

5.3

Relational operators allowed in uBasic are: = (equals) > (greater than) < (less than) (not equal) = (greater than or equal) It is possible, too, to connect several conditions using the operators and, or, xor, and not. Parentheses may be used to indicate which operators are executed first: if (a = 1 or a = 2) and b < 0 then ...

If there is nothing to do in the else case, the else clause can be omitted: b = 4 if a < 0 then b = 3 endif

does just the same and runs faster because each program line in uBasic involves a delay of 10 msec. In simple cases, it is possible to combine all of these statements into one line and omit the endif: if a < 0 then b = 3 else b = 4

or b = 4 if a < 0 then b = 3

Here, the second version is slower because it needs two lines of code. Note: This shorthand notation without an endif can, however, only be used standalone and not nested inside another if ... then ... else ... endif construct. In this latter case, you must use the full statement properly closed with endif.

5.3.5 Case structures The select statement is a convenient way to avoid complex if ... then ... else constructs. It allows executing different statements depending on the value of a variable:

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select x case 3,4,7; print "3, 4, or 7" case 10 to 20; print "10 to 20" case_else print "neither" end_select

The first case statement specifies a list of values that can be of arbitrary length. If the value of x matches a list element, the instruction behind the semicolon is executed. In contrast, the second case statement specifies a value range. If the value of x is within that range, the statement behind the semicolon is executed. Optionally, a case_else statement can be used to execute a statement if none of the specified case statements did apply. If you want to execute more than one instruction after a case statement, you must enclose those instructions into a subroutine and call it with gosub (section 5.3.8). Note: If you also plan to write scripts that run on the Stereo Data Maker (SDM, section 7.9), you should avoid the select statement because it is not supported in the SDM.

5.3.6 Loops The for-loop is used to increment a counter from a start value to an end value and to execute the instructions within the loop for each counter value: for i = 1 to n sleep 10000 print "Shot", i, "of", n shoot next i

takes n shots every ten seconds and prints a protocol for each shot on the display. As you can see, the for-construct is closed with the command next specifying the variable to be incremented. By default, the increment value of the for-construct is 1. By using the step clause, however, it is possible to specify a different increment value: for i = 1 to 10 step 3 print i next i

will print the values 1, 4, 7, 10.

5.3

Another loop construct is the while ... wend construct. Here, you have to organize your counters by yourself. while ... wend loops run until an arbitrary logical condition fails. i = 1 while i

10000 "Shot", i, "of", n + 1 n

The difference with the while ... wend construct is that the loop body is executed at least once because the condition is checked at the end of the loop. The while ... wend construct may not execute the loop body at all if the condition after the while fails during the first pass. In the CHDK implementation of uBasic, loops can be nested to a depth of four.

5.3.7 Labels and GOTOs The goto statement allows you to leave the linear execution and jump to another location in the script. While early uBasic versions only supported line numbers after the goto, recent uBasic versions support labels. This is much better because line numbers are subject to change when new lines are inserted into a script. goto "restart"

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Of course, such a label needs to be defined—and this is the syntax: restart: print "script restarted"

While goto statements seem to be very convenient and flexible, they impose dangers, too. GOTOs are considered harmful in professional programming because programs tend to become incomprehensible and difficult to maintain if there are many of them jumping all over the place. So, if you can, use if ... then ... else ... endif, for ... next, or while ... wend instead of goto. In a tiny script, however, I can’t see why a goto should do any harm.

5.3.8 Subroutines Subroutines have a very similar syntax as GOTOs, but they can simplify programs instead of making them more difficult to read. A subroutine definition starts with a label and ends with a return statement: :waitdisp do print "Continue: DISP" wait_click 3000 until is_pressed "display" return

This subroutine prompts the user to press the DISP key and then waits until this key is pressed. The advantage of defining such a piece of code in a subroutine is that it can be called from any location within the script by using the gosub statement: gosub "waitdisp" shoot

The return command within the subroutine will cause program control to return to the line after the gosub command and execute the instruction found there. The CHDK uBasic implementation supports nested subroutines to a depth of 10.

5.3

5.3.9 Comments Anything behind a rem command (including the rem command) is regarded as a comment and has no influence on processing. gosub "waitdisp" rem waits on disp

Almost no influence, that is. rem waits on disp gosub "waitdisp"

will execute slower because the extra line attracts a delay of 10 milliseconds. So don’t overdo it with comments in scripts. Comments need space, too, and space can become scarce for complex scripts. The CHDK sets an upper limit of 8 KB on each uBasic script.

5.3.10 Script structure A script starts with a header section that defines the title and the parameters, as we saw in section 5.2. This is followed by the main body of the script. Subroutines are usually defined at the end of the script. The main body typically consists of seven parts: f The first section informs the user which script functions are triggered by

pressing buttons. f The second section makes sure that no bad parameter values are passed

f

f f f

to the processing section. Usually, when a bad parameter value is detected, the default parameter value is assigned. In addition, you may want to print a message onto the display. The third section initializes the variables used in the processing section. Initial variable values may be fixed or may depend on parameter values. It may also be necessary to scale parameter values. For example, a parameter accepts values in centimeters but is fed into a uBasic command that expects millimeters. In this case, we would multiply the parameter value by 10. The fourth section saves the initial camera state values into variables so that the camera state can be restored at the end of the script. Then, the main processing section performs the task that was intended by the script. Finally, at the end of the script, the initial camera state is restored. If the script does not run to the end by itself (because it runs in a loop), you

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should always offer a button to end script execution gracefully. Pressing the shutter button to interrupt a script should only be done in case of emergency, because it is not possible to restore the initial state. f The final command in a script is the end command.

5.4

Lua primer

To the photographic community, Lua is known as the scripting language for Adobe Lightroom. So, if you have already developed scripts for Lightroom, you have a head start on CHDK scripting. Under the CHDK, Lua features more commands and functions than uBasic, is more platform-independent, and executes about 100 times faster. On the other hand, Lua is an advanced script language that you cannot master in one afternoon. Here, we will only introduce the basics of Lua; a description of the complete language would be beyond the scope of this book. If you are interested in Lua beyond CHDK scripting, we recommend reading the reference manual [Lua51Ref].

5.4.1 Variables Unlike uBasic, variable names in Lua can be longer than a single character. This allows for an arbitrarily large number of different variables. A variable name must start with a letter or an underscore (_). However, variable names used as CHDK parameters in the script header (section 5.4.12) must consist of a single lower-case letter and can only accept numeric values. There is also an anonymous variable—typically used as a placeholder— with only the underscore (_) as its name. Variables can be defined as global or local. Local variables are only available in the local context of the defining block (section 5.4.6) or function (section 5.4.9). Their definition starts with the keyword local, e.g., local speed = 250

In contrast to uBasic, variables are not restricted to numeric values; they can also contain strings, complex structures (tables), and functions (section 5.4.9). The initial value of a variable is nil (nothing). In the CHDK implementation of Lua, numeric values are restricted to integer values— floating-point arithmetic is not supported. This has implications for portability; the result of computations may differ depending on the platform where you execute the script (section 5.8).

5.4

5.4.2 Strings Strings are enclosed in single (‘...’) or double (“...”) quotes, or in doubled square brackets ([[...]]). With this latter form, it is possible to define strings that stretch across multiple lines. Strings can contain most of the escape sequences used in other programming languages such as C or Java: \f for a form feed, \n for a new line, \r for the carriage return. Strings can be concatenated with the .. operator: "CH"..'DK'

5.4.3 Tables Tables are a core concept in Lua. Tables can contain an arbitrary number of elements—numbers, strings, functions, and other tables. Table definitions are enclosed in curly brackets ({}). Anything (except nil) can be a table element. Table elements can be addressed through the element index. For instance: disp_table = {'info', 'no_info', 'off', 'electronic_viewfinder'} print(disp_table[2])

would print ‘no_info’ because indexing starts at 1. The number of table elements can be obtained through the operator #: print(#disp_table)

would print ‘4’. Alternatively, table elements can be associated with explicit keys, in which case the table works as a dictionary: reverse_disp_table = {info = 0, no_info = 1, off = 2, electronic_viewfinder = 3}

In this case we could address the elements by their key: print(reverse_disp_table["info"])

would print ‘0’. The following dot notation is also possible: print(reverse_disp_table.info])

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Such dictionary tables should not be accessed via indices because no assumptions can be made about the order in which the elements are stored. Note that keys must not contain white space.

5.4.4 Assignments Assignments look very similar to those in uBasic, except that the let command is not used: a = b * c

Lua supports the same arithmetic operators as uBasic, plus the ^ operator for exponentiation. Assigning values to table elements is possible, too. For example: t[i] = [[multi-line string]]

Another difference is that lists of values can be assigned to lists of variables. For example: a, b = 3, 4

assigns 3 to a and 4 to b. This form of assignment is often used for functions that return multiple values. If individual values are not needed, the anonymous variable “_” can be used: _, b = 3, 4

Here, 4 is assigned to b and 3 is thrown away.

5.4.5 Output The print() function can be used to create output on the display. Similar to uBasic, several parameters can be specified, but the semantics are different: individual values are separated by TAB, not by a single white space. The semicolon cannot be used to concatenate two strings. Instead, we use the string concatenation operator (..). For example: print('a: '..a..'s')

would produce the output a: 500s

if the variable a had the value of 500. Unlike uBasic, Lua allows the output of strings longer than 25 characters. Longer strings are wrapped into the next line.

5.4

The CHDK functions cls() and print_screen() work exactly the same as the equivalent commands in uBasic. There is one exception: print_screen(false)

can be used to disable output to a log file.

5.4.6 Blocks Blocks are statement sequences that are enclosed by do ... end. Their main purpose is to allow the definition of local variables that are only valid within the block. Blocks may be nested.

5.4.7 Conditional clauses Similar to uBasic, conditional clauses are built with the if ... then ... else ... end construct. The difference is that the construct is not closed by a specific endif token but by the more generic end token. For example: if a < 0 then b = 3 else b = 4 end

The else clause may be omitted, but in contrast to uBasic, it is not possible to omit the end token even for single line constructs: if n < 0 then n = 0 end

Nested if statements can be simplified with the elseif token. Instead of: if a < 0 then b = -1 else if a > 0 then b = 1 else b = 0 end end

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it is possible to write: if a < 0 then b = -1 elseif a > 0 then b = 1 else b = 0 end

which is easier to read and to understand. Lua does not feature a select statement (section 5.3.5), but a sequence of elseif clauses can be used for the same purpose. Relational operators allowed in Lua are: == (equals) (uBasic: =) > (greater than) < (less than) ~= (not equal) (uBasic: ) = (greater than or equal) It is also possible to connect several conditions with the operators and, or, and not. Parentheses may be used to indicate which operators are executed first: if (a = 1 or a = 2) and b < 0 then ...

5.4.8 Loops Similar to uBasic, the for-loop is used for incrementing a counter from a start value to an end value and for executing the instructions within the loop for each counter value. For example: for i = 1,n do sleep(10000) shoot() end

takes n shots every 10 seconds. By default, the increment value of the for construct is 1. By using a third value in the for clause, however, it is possible to specify a different increment value:

5.4

for i = 1,10,3 do print(i) end

would print the values 1, 4, 7, 10. A second form of the for statement—called the generic for statement—allows iteration over a series of values, such as the elements of a table. Using the built-in function ipairs(), we can write: disp_table = {'info', 'no_info', 'off', 'electronic_viewfinder'} for i,v in ipairs(disp_table) do print(i,v) end

This results in the output: 1 2 3 4

info no_info off electronic_viewfinder

The same is possible for dictionary tables that are accessible via keywords. Instead of ipairs(), the function pairs() is used in this case: t = {info = 0, no_info = 1, off = 2, electronic_viewfinder = 3} for key,value in pairs(t) do print(key,value) end

The result of this script would be: electronic_viewfinder off info no_info

3 2 0 1

Note that in this case the order in which the values are obtained cannot be predicted. In addition to the various flavors of the for statement, Lua also features a while statement and a repeat statement. The latter replaces the do... until construct found in uBasic.

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i = 1 while i n

The difference in the while construct, however, is that the loop body is executed at least once because the condition is checked at the end of the loop. The while construct may decide not to execute the loop body at all if the condition after the while fails during the first pass. Both while and repeat loops can be aborted with the break statement, which always exits the innermost loop: i = 1 while true do if i > n then break end sleep(10000) shoot() i = i + 1 end

Here we have used the Boolean value true in the while condition, which results in a loop that never stops. To break the loop, we check the inverse condition in the if statement and execute the break command if the condition holds. The above control statements are fully sufficient to express any kind of control flow in a script—goto statements and labels are not really necessary. Consequently, Lua does not offer GOTO.

5.4

5.4.9 Functions Instead of subroutines as in uBasic, Lua features more versatile functions. Each function consists of a function header, with a function name and parameters, and a function body. The whole function definition is enclosed by the pair function ... end. The list of parameters is enclosed in parentheses and separated by commas. Even parameterless functions use these parentheses with—aka—an empty list of parameters. For example: function waitdisp() repeat print("Continue: DISP") wait_click(3000) until is_pressed("display") end

In contrast to uBasic, functions can return one or several values. This is done with the return command followed by a single return value or by a comma-separated list of return values. The following function returns the time difference between the function start and a click on the specified button in milliseconds: function stopwatch(k) t = get_tick_count() repeat wait_click(3000) until is_pressed(k) d = get_tick_count()-t return d end

A special statement to invoke a function (like the gosub in uBasic) is not necessary—it is sufficient to simply invoke the function by its name, followed by the list of parameters enclosed in parentheses. For example: d = stopwatch("display") print(d)

A very powerful feature is the ability to assign a function definition to a variable. The function definition can then be passed as a parameter to other functions, stored in a table, or even returned as a result of another function. The following code assigns an anonymous function to the variable hello:

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hello = function() print('hello') end

The function can later be invoked via hello()

5.4.10 Error handling Another big advantage of Lua over uBasic is the ability to run pieces of code in protected mode. This means that an error condition detected inside this code is not propagated to the surrounding code. Your script can gracefully handle this error and continue to run. The built-in function pcall() can execute other functions in protected mode. For example: status,result = pcall(stopwatch,k)

As you can see, pcall() can return multiple values: f If no error occurred, the first return value (status) has the value true,

followed by the return values (if any) of the called function. In the above example, result would contain the result of function stopwatch(). f If an error occurred, the first returned value is false, followed by the error message in the second return value. In addition to the errors raised by Lua itself, errors can also raised by a script through the error() function. The first parameter of this function is an error message. The optional second parameter may contain an error level that indicates which additional information the Lua interpreter will add to the error message: f 0: no additional information. f 1 (default): the location where the error() function was called. f n: the error location n levels up in the caller hierarchy.

Lua also knows an assert instruction, which is usually used to test the conditions under which a piece of code is allowed to run. assert(cond, msg)

If the expression cond results in false, an error is raised with the content of the parameter msg as an error message. The code following the assert

5.4

instruction can therefore be sure that the condition holds. Using assert frequently can considerably improve the safety and robustness of a script.

5.4.11 Comments Anything behind a -- token (including the -- token) is regarded as a comment and has no influence on processing. For example: wait_click(3000) -- wait 3 secs

Multi-line comments are simply written as a multi-line string behind the comment token: --[[This comment stretches across multiple lines]]

5.4.12 Script structure Just like uBasic CHDK scripts, Lua CHDK scripts start with a header section defining title and script parameters. This is followed by the main body of the script as outlined in section 5.3.10. The title and parameter section must be provided in the form of a multi-line comment containing the title and parameter definitions as known from uBasic. --[[ rem 22-Sep-2009 by bdaum @title Countdown @param t ticks(sec) @default t 10 ]]

Comments within such a block can be written with the uBasic syntax (rem).

5.4.13 Standard Libraries Unlike uBasic, Lua features a library concept so that new functionality can be added to the Lua core without much effort. Libraries are sets of predefined Lua functions that you can invoke in your program after you have loaded the library. In addition, a library can immediately execute statements during the loading process. It is even possible for a library to return values to the loading script by executing a return command.

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Some standard libraries are already included in Lua, such as: f Basic library for some core functions f Input and output library f Operating system facilities library f String manipulation library f Mathematical functions library. The CHDK version of this library differs

substantially from the standard version because all functions dealing with floating point numbers have been removed (section 5.4.1). Other libraries can easily be added to Lua by placing them into the folder /CHDK/LUALIB. Before such a library can be accessed in a script, it must be loaded. This is done with the statement: require("library_name")

where the library name is written without the suffix “.lua”. It is possible to assign the result of function require() to a variable. Often libraries construct a table containing all public functions and values defined in the library, and return this table to the loader. The loader may then retrieve these functions and values. For example: props = require("propcase") id = props.DISPLAY_MODE

Here the library propcase.lua has returned the table props containing a value under key DISPLAY_MODE. This technique helps avoid name clashes when several libraries are used at the same time. The following libraries are automatically loaded:

Lua core functions The core library implements functions such as the already discussed pcall(), error(), or print(). The following functions can also be useful: dofile(fname)

Loads the specified file as a new Lua script and executes it.

tonumber(p,b)

Converts p to a number to the specified base b. If b is omitted, a base of 10 (the decimal system) is assumed.

tostring(p)

Converts the parameter p into a string.

type(p)

Returns the type of p. Possible return values are: “nil”, “number”, “string”, “boolean, “table”, “function”, “thread”, and “userdata”.

5.4

IO functions The Lua IO library provides access to file input and output. Using these functions, it is possible to read and write files located on the memory card. We will only give a short overview of the most important IO functions. Examples for the application of these functions are found in section 5.7.1. file, msg, no = io.open(filename, mode)

opens a file with the specified name and in the specified mode. A “b” appended to the mode strings indicates a binary file: "r"

Read mode (the default if the mode parameter is omitted).

"w"

Write mode. A new file is created, and existing files are overwritten.

"a"

Append mode. Appends to the end of an existing file.

In case of an error, the return variable file is nil and an error message is given in msg, an error code in no. ret, msg, no = io.close(file) ret, msg, no = file:close()

Closes the specified file. In case of an error, ret is nil, and an error message is given in msg, an error code in no. ret, msg, no = io.flush()

Performs all outstanding buffered write operations and makes sure that all written data is physically stored. ret, msg, no = file:lines()

Creates an iterator over the lines in a text file. It can be used in the following way: for line in file:lines() do ... end

Here, the variable line will subsequently contain each line in the specified file. If no more lines are available, nil will be returned.

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value1,... = file:read(format1,...)

For each of the specified formats, read() will return a numeric or string value read from the input file. If the specified format cannot be satisfied, nil is returned instead. The following formats are available: "*n"

Reads a number.

"*a"

Reads the whole file, starting at the current position. If the current position is at the end of the file, nil is returned.

"*l"

Reads the next line. nil is returned at the end of the file.

number

Reads a string with up to the specified number of characters. nil is returned at the end of the file.

pos, msg = file:seek(mode, offset)

positions the write and read pointers to the specified offset in the file, beginning at the origin specified in mode. offset can be omitted and defaults to 0 in that case. In case of an error, pos is nil, and an error message is given in msg. "set"

Starts at the beginning of the file.

"cur"

Starts at the current position. This is the default when the mode parameter is omitted.

"end"

Starts at the end of the file and subtracts the offset.

Example: function fsize(file) local current_pos = file:seek() local size = file:seek("end") file:seek("set", current_pos) return size end

This function determines the size of a file. It first saves the current position into the local variable current_pos, and then positions to the file end and stores that position in the variable size. As a good citizen, it restores the original position and then returns size as result.

5.4

ret,msg,no = file:write(value1,...)

writes the values passed in the parameters to the specified file. Only numeric or string values are allowed as parameters. In case of an error, ret is nil, and an error message is given in msg, an error code in no.

Operating system functions Only some of the standard Lua OS functions are supported in the CHDK. r, msg = os.remove(filename)

deletes a file or directory with the specified name. If it succeeds, true is returned. If it fails, nil is returned, followed by an error message. The function will fail on an attempt to delete a directory that is not empty.. r,msg = os.rename(oldname,newname)

renames the file or directory specified in oldname to the name given in newname. If it succeeds, true is returned. If it fails, nil is returned, followed by an error message. Caution! Attempting to rename a nonempty directory may result in file system corruption! Attempting to move a file to another directory by renaming it can lead to unpredictable results. The rename() function may produce unpredictable results if the target name already exists. t = os.time(table)

returns the time specified in table as a single number (number of seconds since January 1, 1970). The table has the following keywords: “year”, “month”, “day”, “hour”, “min”, “sec”, “dst”, “wday”. “dst” represents a Boolean value that is true for daylight savings time; “wday” represents the day of the week (Sunday = 1). If the parameter table is missing, the function delivers the current date and time as a number: s = os.date(format, time)

The date() function works the other way round. The format string specifies how a numeric date value will be converted into a string. If the second parameter is missing, the current date is used. The format string can contain short control sequences (‘%’ followed by a letter) that will be replaced by year, month, day, etc. The following control sequences are possible:

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%a

Abbreviated weekday name (e.g., Thu)

%A

Full weekday name (e.g., Thursday)

%b

Abbreviated month name (e.g., Sep)

%B

Full month name (e.g., September)

%c

Date and time (e.g., 09/24/09 23:57:10)

%d

Day of the month (e.g., 24)

%H

Hour, 24-hour clock (e.g., 23)

%I

Hour, 12-hour clock (e.g., 11)

%M

Minute (e.g., 57)

%m

Month (01 = January, e.g., 09)

%p

Either “am” or “pm” (e.g., pm)

%S

Second (e.g., 10)

%w

Weekday (0 = Sunday, e.g., 4)

%x

Date (e.g., 09/24/09)

%X

Time (e.g., 23:57:10)

%Y

Full year (e.g., 2009)

%y

Two-digit year (e.g., 09)

%%

The character ‘%’ when used as a literal

For example: s = os.date("today, %B %d, %Y")

returns "today, September 24, 2009"

A special case is the format string ‘*t’. In this case, the date() function returns date and time in the form of a table, as seen in the discussion of the time() function. In addition to the above functions, the CHDK implementation provides some more functions that are not part of the standard Lua OS library (which implements only those OS functions that are part of ANSI C). Consequently, scripts utilizing those functions cannot be tested on another platform such as a PC, except with an appropriate OS extension library (section 5.8).

5.4

r, msg, no = os.mkdir(dirname)

creates a new directory with a specified path name such as “A:/CHDK/ WORK”. Please note that the path name must not end with a slash. If the function succeeds, true is returned. If it fails, nil is returned, followed by an error message and an error number. t, msg, no = os.stat(filename)

delivers a table t containing information about the specified file. Key

Value

dev

Device number

mode

Meaning unclear

size

Size in bytes

atime

Last access time

mtime

Last modification

ctime

Last status change

blksize

Block size in bytes

blocks

Number of blocks in the file

attrib

Bit mask of DOS attributes

is_dir

true for a directory

is_file

true for a file

If the function fails, nil is returned, followed by an error message and an error number. r, msg, no = os.utime(filename,atime,mtime)

sets the time of last access and the time of last modification for the specified file. If atime or mtime is omitted or nil, the current time is used. If the function succeeds, true is returned. If it fails, nil is returned, followed by an error message and an error number. t, msg, no = os.listdir(dirpath,showall)

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lists the contents of the specified directory. The result is returned as a table of file names. If the function fails, nil is returned, followed by an error message and an error number. If the optional parameter showall is true, the list will contain the entries “.”, “..”, and deleted entries, too.

String manipulation functions The CHDK implements the Lua string manipulation library completely. The library comes with some powerful functions: l = string.len(s) Returns the character length of a string. The same is achieved with the operator #: l = #s t = string.rep(s,n) Returns a string where string s is repeated n times. t = string.upper(s) Returns string s converted to upper case. t = string.lower(s) Returns string s converted to lower case. t = string.sub(s, from, to) Returns a substring of s starting at position from and ending at position to. Indexes start at 1; negative indexes are counted from the end of the string. t = string.char(n,...) Converts the integer parameters to characters and concatenates them to a string. n = string.char(s, i) Converts the i-th character of s into an integer. Indexes start at 1; negative indexes are counted from the end of the string. t = string.format(f, n1,...) Formats the content of the parameters n1,... with the help of format description f. The formatting rules are quite similar to that of the printf() statement of ANSI C. For example tag, title = "b", "chdk" string.format("%s", tag, title, tag) returns chdk Often used format characters are the following: %d %i

Decimal signed integer

%o

Octal integer

%x %X

Hex integer

%u

Unsigned integer

%c

Character

5.4

%s

String

%q

Quoted string. The string is formatted so that it can safely be read back by Lua.

%%

%. No argument expected.

i,j = string.find(s1, s2, k) Searches for the substring s2 in string s1 and returns the indices for the first and the last character of s2. If s2 is not a substring of s1, the function returns nil. The parameter k is optional and may specify the start index for the search. t,n = string.gsub(s1,s2,s3,k) Replaces all occurrences of string s2 in string s1 with string s3. Returns the resulting string and the replacement count. The optional parameter k can limit the number of replacements.

The functions find() and gsub() accept patterns, too—strings with interspersed control sequences. Most control sequences start with “%” followed by a character, optionally followed by a modifier character (see below). These control sequences describe character classes such as “letters” or “digits”. .

All characters

%a

Letters

%c

Control characters such as new line or form feed

%d

Digits

%l

Lowercase letters

%p

Punctuation characters

%s

Whitespace characters

%u

Uppercase letters

%w

Alphanumeric characters

%x

Hexadecimal digits

%z

The character “0”

%

Escape character. % followed by another character represents the character itself. Escaping is particularly necessary for the characters ( ) . % + - * ? [ ^ $. For example, “%%” represents “%”.

Using uppercase control characters after the “%” negates the character class identified by the corresponding lowercase character. For example, %S stands for anything except white space. You can define your own character sets by enclosing the characters belonging to the set within brackets: [+–] for example, means ‘+’ or ‘–’.

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A modifier character describing how often a character of that class is expected can follow a character class sequence: none

Exactly one occurrence

+

At least one occurrence

*

Any number of occurrences; works greedily (tries to consume longest sequence possible to succeed)

-

Any number of occurrences; works non-greedily (tries to consume shortest sequence possible to succeed)

?

Optional (0 or 1 occurrence)

Command sequences that match a character sequence can be captured, meaning that the matching character string will be accessible. A capture is achieved by putting a command sequence into parentheses. The matching character sequence is then delivered as an extra result by the find() function. For example: _, _, m, d, y = string.find( "9/25/2009", "(%d+)/(%d+)/(%d+)")

assigns 9 to m, 25 to d, 2009 to y. Each capture (%d+) tries to find one or more digits until the next slash or the end of the string, and it delivers the matching substring as a result. Capture results can be used in the pattern itself or in the substitution string of the gsub() function. They are symbolized by the control sequences %1, %2, .... representing the result of the first capture, the second capture, and so on. For example: string.gsub("log.txt", "(%w+)%.(%w+)", "%1_1.%2")

would result in “log_1.txt”.

Table manipulation functions Because tables are an essential construct in Lua, there is also a standard library with functions for conveniently manipulating them. s = table.concat(table,sep,i,j) Concatenates the table elements i..j into a string, each separated by separator sep—provided all elements are strings or numbers. sep, if omitted, defaults to the empty string. i and j default, if omitted, to 1 resp. the length of the table.

5.4

table.insert (table, pos, value) Inserts value at the specified position into the table, shifting existing elements at and behind that location one position towards the end of the table. If pos is omitted, the value is appended at the end of the table. m = table.maxn (table) Returns the maximum positive index of the table. If no positive index exists, 0 is returned. e = table.remove (table [, pos]) Removes the element at the specified position from the table and returns it. If pos is not supplied, the very last element in the table is removed. table.sort (table, comp) Sorts the elements in the table. Optionally, a function can be supplied in comp defining the sort order. The function receives two table elements as parameters and must return true if the first element is considered smaller than the second element. Example: table.sort(table, function(a,b) return a > b end ) will sort the table in the opposite order because it returns true when the second parameter is smaller than the first.

Mathematical functions Because the CHDK implementation of Lua only supports integer numbers, mathematical functions in the Lua mathematical library, such as sin() or log(), would make no sense. The mathematical library therefore boils down to: math.max()

Returns the maximum of its arguments

math.min()

Returns the minimum of its arguments

math.pow(x,y)

Raises the first parameter to the power of the second parameter and returns the result

or x^y math.random(x,y)

Generates random numbers between x and y. If x is omitted, a lower limit of 0 is assumed.

math.randomseed()

Sets a start value for the pseudo random generator. A typical way to initialize the random generator is randomseed(os. time()).

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5.5

CHDK commands

In sections 5.3 and 5.4, we looked at the language features of uBasic and Lua. None of these language features are able to invoke specific camera functions. For that purpose, the CHDK implementations of uBasic and Lua provide extra commands enriching both languages. The names of the commands are the same in both languages. The main difference is that in Lua, parameters are enclosed in parentheses and separated by commas, whereas the CHDK command is implemented as a function. In uBasic, the parameters are simply listed behind the command name and separated by blanks. While values can be returned through parameters in uBasic, Lua only allows returning values as a function result. For example: is_key r "right" uBasic r = is_key("right") Lua

Some commands return Boolean values (true or false). Unlike Lua, uBasic does not have a Boolean datatype. Those values are therefore returned to uBasic as 0 (false) or 1 (true).

5.5.1 Button-related commands: press "button-name"

uBasic

press("button-name")

Lua

A button is pressed and held down. Normally, this command is followed later by a release command for the same button name. release "button-name"

uBasic

release("button-name")

Lua

A button is released. If the button was not pressed, the command does not have any effect. click "button-name"

uBasic

click("button-name")

Lua

A button is pressed and immediately released. shoot

uBasic

shoot()

Lua

Similar to click "shoot_full". In contrast to the click command, the shoot command will, however, perform all the automatic actions such as focusing, exposure control, and flash setup before releasing the shutter.

5.5

wait_click t

uBasic

wait_click(t)

Lua

wait_click()

Lua

CHDK commands

113

Waits for a key click. The optional parameter t can specify a time-out value in milliseconds. If t is not specified or has the value 0, no time-out will occur. is_pressed r "button-name"

uBasic

r = is_pressed "button-name"

uBasic

r = is_pressed("button-name")

Lua

Typically used after a wait_click command for determining the button clicked. If the clicked button matches the specified name, a value of 1 resp. true is returned. By using the pseudo button name "no_key", it is even possible to check for a time-out. is_key r "button-name"

uBasic

r = is_key "button-name"

uBasic

r = is_key("button-name")

Lua

Determines if the specified button is pressed. If the pressed button matches the specified name, a value of 1 resp. true is returned. Typically used standalone without wait_click. wheel_right

uBasic

wheel_left

uBasic

wheel_right()

Lua

wheel_left()

Lua

Only for PowerShot G7 and SX100IS. Turns the multi-control wheel one stop to the right or to the left. r = get_video_button

uBasic

r = get_video_button()

Lua

Returns 1 resp. true if the camera has a video button (S-series, TX1).

zoom_out

shoot_half

shoot_full

zoom_in

print

Figure 5-2 Button names that can be used with the commands press, release, and click. Additional buttons on some cameras are mf (manual focus), video,

up iso

timer, expo_corr (exposure correction), and fe (microphone). On S-series, print stands for the shortcut button,

right flash

erase stands for the func button. Pseudo button names are no_key for a time-out and remote for the USB remote control.

left macro

set

display

down erase

menu

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5.5.2 Exposure-related commands As already explained in section 4.2.7, the exposure system of Canon cameras is engineered along the APEX system. All entities (Av, Tv, Ev, Sv, and Bv) use a logarithmic scale and are divided into 1/3 f-stop. These units are identified by an index number. Internally, the camera uses an even finer scale: 32 units per 1/3 f-stop (96 units per f-stop). These finer units can also be accessed via CHDK functions. Please see Table 5-1 for Tv index and Tv96 numbers and Table 5-2 for Av index and Av96 numbers. When not using CHDK Overrides (section 4.3.1), the camera will determine these values from the measured scene brightness and the selected exposure program. When using CHDK Overrides, however, the user can set each of those entities to a fixed value. Depending on the camera, exposure control then works in aperture priority mode or exposure time priority mode. In the case of cameras without diaphragms, it leaves everything to the user or to a script; because all of the above entities can be retrieved and most (except Bv) can be set via script commands, it is possible to organize exposure control through scripts (section 5.7.4). Let’s look at the CHDK commands that are available for exposure control.

Exposure time (Tv) r = get_nd_present

uBasic

r = get_nd_present()

Lua

Returns info about the neutral density (ND) filter: 0 = filter present, 1 = no built-in ND filter, 2 = camera has both a diaphragm and an ND filter. get_tv x

uBasic

x = get_tv()

Lua

set_tv x

uBasic

set_tv(x)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the real exposure time (Tv) index. x = 0 stands for an exposure time of 1 second. Negative values indicate longer exposure times, positive values indicate shorter times (3 units per f-stop). get_tv96 x

uBasic

x = get_tv96()

Lua

set_tv96 x

uBasic

set_tv96(x)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the internal real Tv value (96 units per f-stop). get_user_tv_id x

uBasic

x = get_user_tv_id()

Lua

set_user_tv_id x

uBasic

set_user_tv_id(x)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the index of the exposure time set by the user (3 units per f-stop).

5.5

get_user_tv96 x

uBasic

x = get_user_tv96()

Lua

set_user_tv96 x

uBasic

set_user_tv96(x)

Lua

CHDK commands

115

Retrieves and sets the value of the internal exposure time set by the user (96 units per f-stop). set_tv_rel x

uBasic

set_tv_rel(x)

Lua

Modifies the current exposure time. A negative x makes the exposure time longer, a positive x makes it shorter (3 units per f-stop). set_user_tv_by_id_rel x

uBasic

set_user_tv_by_id_rel(x)

Lua

Modifies the exposure time set by the user (3 units per f-stop). set_tv96_direct x

uBasic

set_tv96_direct(x)

Lua

Sets the exposure time value with 96 units per f-stop.

Index

Tv96

Speed

Index

Tv96

Speed

–12

–384

15"

18

576

1/60

–11

–352

13"

19

608

1/80

–10

–320

10"

20

640

1/100

–9

–288

8"

21

672

1/125

–8

–256

6"

22

704

1/160

–7

–224

5"

23

736

1/200

–6

–192

4"

24

768

1/250

–5

–160

3"2

25

800

1/320

–4

–128

2"5

26

832

1/400

–3

–96

2"

27

864

1/500

–2

–64

1"6

28

896

1/640

–1

–32

1"3

29

928

1/800

0

0

1"

30

960

1/1000

1

32

0"8

31

992

1/1250

2

64

0"6

32

1024

1/1600

Table 5-1 Exposure index vs. exposure time

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Table 5-1 Continued

Index

Tv96

Speed

Index

Tv96

Speed

3

96

0"5

33

1056

1/2000

4

128

0"4

34

1088

1/2500

5

160

0"3

35

1120

1/3200

6

192

1/4

36

1152

1/4000

7

224

1/5

37

1184

1/5000

8

256

1/6

38

1216

1/6400

9

288

1/8

39

1248

1/8000

10

320

1/10

40

1280

1/10000

11

352

1/13

41

1312

1/12800

12

384

1/15

42

1344

1/16000

13

416

1/20

43

1376

1/20000

14

448

1/25

44

1408

1/25000

15

480

1/30

45

1440

1/32000

16

512

1/40

46

1472

1/40000

17

544

1/50

47

1504

1/50000

Aperture (Av) Note: Not surprisingly, setting aperture values on cameras without diaphragms has no effect. get_av x

uBasic

x = get_av()

Lua

set_av x

uBasic

set_av(x)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the real aperture (Av) index (Table 5-2). x = 0 stands for an aperture of f/1. Larger values stand for smaller apertures (3 units per f-stop). get_av96 x

uBasic

x = get_av96()

Lua

set_av96 x

uBasic

set_av96(x)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the real aperture internal value (96 units per f-stop).

5.5

get_user_av_id x

uBasic

x = get_user_av_id()

Lua

set_user_av_by_id x

uBasic

set_user_av_by_id(x)

Lua

CHDK commands

Retrieves and sets the index of the aperture index set by the user (3 units per f-stop). get_user_av96 x

uBasic

x = get_user_av96()

Lua

set_user_av96 x

uBasic

set_user_av96(x)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the internal value of the aperture set by the user (96 units per f-stop). set_av_rel x

uBasic

set_av_rel(x)

Lua

Modifies the real aperture relative to the current aperture. A negative x makes the aperture wider, a positive x makes it smaller (3 units per f-stop). set_user_av_by_id_rel x

uBasic

set_user_av_by_id_rel(x)

Lua

Modifies the aperture set by the user (3 units per f-stop). set_nd_filter f

uBasic

set_nd_filter(f)

Lua

Sets the neutral density filter: 0 = off, 1 = in, 2 = out. This command has no effect on cameras without an ND filter.

Index

Av96

Aperture

9

288

f/2.8

10

320

f/3.2

11

352

f/3.5

12

384

f/4.0

13

416

f/4.5

14

448

f/5.0

15

480

f/5.6

16

512

f/6.3

17

544

f/7.1

18

576

f/8.0

Table 5-2 Aperture index vs. aperture

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Sensor speed (Sv) get_iso x

uBasic

x = get_iso()

Lua

set_iso x

uBasic

set_iso(x)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the ISO speed (Sv) index (Table 5-3). The index values > 0 are mapped to ISO values of 50 and above. The index values –1 and 0 have a special meaning and stand for HiISO and AutoISO. get_iso_mode x

uBasic

x = get_iso_mode()

Lua

set_iso_mode x

uBasic

set_iso_mode(x)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the ISO mode (–1 = HiISO, 0 = AutoISO, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800). get_iso_real x

uBasic

x = get_iso_real()

Lua

set_iso_real x

uBasic

set_iso_real(x)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the real ISO value. This is the real value used to control the sensor. get_iso_market x

uBasic

get_iso_market(x)

Lua

Retrieves the “marketing” ISO value—the value shown on the display. This value is higher than the true ISO value (section 4.3.1). get_sv96 x

uBasic

x = get_sv96()

Lua

set_sv96 x

uBasic

set_sv96(x)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the internal sensor speed (Sv) with 96 units per stop.

Table 5-3 ISO index vs. ISO value

ISO Index

Sv96

ISO mode

–1

–

HiISO

0

–

AutoISO

1

384

50

2

480

100

3

576

200

4

672

400

5.5

ISO Index

Sv96

ISO mode

5

768

800

6

864

1600

7

960

3200

8

1056

6400

Light values (Bv, Ev) get_bv96 x

uBasic

x = get_bv96()

Lua

Retrieves the scene brightness (Bv) with 96 units per stop. get_ev x

uBasic

x = get_ev()

Lua

set_ev x

uBasic

set_ev(x)

Lua

Gets and sets the exposure value (Ev) with 96 units per stop.

5.5.3 Focus-related commands These commands allow reading focus-related values such as subject distance, depth of field, and so on. They also allow setting the subject distance to a fixed value and then locking the autofocus system. On cameras with an explicit manual focus mode, the camera must be switched manually to that mode before the focus can be set via a script command. On cameras without an explicit manual focus mode, no action is required. get_focus_mode x

uBasic

x = get_focus_mode

uBasic

x = get_focus_mode()

Lua

Returns the focus mode: 0 = auto, 1 = manual. get_focus d

uBasic

d = get_focus

uBasic

d = get_focus()

Lua

set_focus d

uBasic

set_focus(d)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the focus distance in millimeters. The value of –1 resp. 65535 indicates an infinite distance.

CHDK commands

Table 5-3 Continued

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get_dof x

uBasic

x = get_dof

uBasic

x = get_dof()

Lua

Returns the Depth of Field (DOF) in millimeters. get_far_limit d

uBasic

d = get_far_limit

uBasic

d = get_far_limit()

Lua

get_near_limit d

uBasic

d = get_near_limit

uBasic

d = get_near_limit()

Lua

Sets the far and near limit (in millimeters) of the distance range with acceptable sharpness. The value of –1 resp. 65535 indicates an infinite distance, but also a distance outside the current camera setting (macro, normal). get_hyp_dist d

uBasic

d = get_hyp_dist

uBasic

d = get_hyp_dist()

Lua

Returns the hyperfocal distance in millimeters. The hyperfocal distance is the closest distance to which the lens can be focused while keeping objects at infinity sharp. All objects within the range of half of the hyperfocal distance and infinity will be sharp. set_aflock a

uBasic

set_aflock(a)

Lua

Sets autofocus lock: 0 = off, 1 = on. Especially useful for time series where refocusing is not desired. When the AF lock is set, the AF LED is switched off, too.

5.5.4 Zoom-related commands s = get_zoom_steps

uBasic

s = get_zoom_steps()

Lua

Returns the maximum number of zoom steps. This may differ among camera models. get_zoom z

uBasic

z = get_zoom

uBasic

z = get_zoom()

Lua

set_zoom z

uBasic

set_zoom(z)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the current zoom step. Note: It is recommended to set the zoom speed explicitly with command set_zoom_ speed (see below) before using the set_zoom command. Improper use of the set_zoom command can later result in the message “assert failed—game over!” and an immediate camera shutdown. A safer method to change zoom levels is to apply simulated clicks to the zoom_in and zoom_out buttons (section 5.5.1).

5.5

set_zoom_rel d

uBasic

set_zoom_rel(d)

Lua

Sets increments or decrements of the current zoom step. set_zoom_speed s

uBasic

set_zoom_speed(s)

Lua

Sets the zoom speed between 5 and 100 percent. This does nothing for A-series cameras.

5.5.5 Flash-related commands f = get_flash_mode

uBasic

f = get_flash_mode()

Lua

Returns the flash mode: 0 = auto, 1 = on, 2 = off. r = get_flash_ready

uBasic

r = get_flash_ready()

Lua

Indicates that the flash is ready with a value of 1/true.

5.5.6 Image-related commands get_quality q

uBasic

q = get_quality()

Lua

Retrieves and sets the current image quality setting (0 = Superfine, 1 = Fine, 2 = Normal). get_resolution q

uBasic

q = get_resolution()

Lua

Retrieves and sets the current image resolution (0 = L, 1 = M1, 2 = M2, 3 = M3, 4 = S, 5 = RAW (on G9), 6 = Postcard, 8 = W). o = get_orientation_sensor

uBasic

o = get_orientation_sensor()

Lua

Returns the camera orientation (portrait, landscape) in degrees.

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5.5.7 Time-related commands sleep t

uBasic

sleep(t)

Lua

Specifies how long the script will wait in milliseconds. The timer resolution depends on the camera model and is in the range between 10–30 milliseconds. s = get_day_seconds

uBasic

s = get_day_seconds()

Lua

Returns the number of seconds since midnight. t = get_tick_count

uBasic

t = get_tick_count()

Lua

Returns the number of milliseconds since the camera was switched on. t = get_time u

uBasic

u = 0 returns second, u = 1 minute, u = 2 hour, u = 3 day, u = 4 month, u = 5 year. t = get_time(u)

Lua

u = ‘s’ returns second, u = ‘m’ minute, u = ‘h’ hour, u = ‘D’ day, u = ‘M’ month, u = ‘Y’ year.

5.5.8 Display-related commands x = get_display_mode

uBasic

x = get_display_mode()

Lua

Returns the display mode: 0 = info, 1 = no info, 2 = off, 3 = electronic viewfinder. shot_histo_enable x

uBasic

shot_histo_enable(x)

Lua

Switches the histogram on or off: 0 = off, 1 = on. get_histo_range s,h,p

uBasic

p = get_histo_range(s,h)

Lua

Retrieves histogram data from the previous shot. A shadow value (0–1023) is specified in the variable s; a highlight value (s–1023) is specified in the variable h. The value returned in variable p is the percent of pixels within that brightness range. Can be used for sophisticated exposure control. md_detect_motion ...

uBasic

h = md_detect_motion(...)

Lua

Detects motion (section 5.7.3) n = md_get_cell_diff

uBasic

n = md_get_cell_diff()

Lua

Allows analyzing detected motion in more detail (section 5.7.3).

5.5

playsound s

uBasic

playsound(s)

Lua

Plays a sound signal. The variable s specifies the signal to be played: 0 = power on, 1 = shutter, 2 = click, 3 = timer, 4 = short, 5 = AF, 6 = error, 7 = long. Currently, there is no way to play a voice note. set_backlight b

uBasic

set_backlight(b)

Lua

Switches the display backlight on or off: 0 = off, 1 = on set_led a,b,c

uBasic

set_led(a,b,c)

Lua

Switches the LED on or off. Parameter a identifies the LED: 4 = green, 5 = yellow, 6 = power (not for all cameras), 7 = orange, 8 = blue, 9 = AF light, 10 = timer. Parameter b sets the state: 0 = off, 1 = on. The optional parameter c controls the brightness (0–200). This works only for the blue LED and not for all cameras.

5.5.9 Image management commands r = get_raw_nr

uBasic

r = get_raw_nr()

Lua

set_raw_nr r

uBasic

set_raw_nr(r)

Lua

Retrieves and sets noise reduction for RAW images (Dark Frame Subtraction): 0 = auto, 1 = off, 2 = on. r = get_raw

uBasic

r = get_raw()

Lua

set_raw r

uBasic

set_raw(r)

Lua

Retrieves and sets the state of the RAW output function: 0 = off, 1 = on. s = get_disk_size

uBasic

s = get_disk_size()

Lua

Returns the size of the memory card in kilobytes. s = get_free_disk_space

uBasic

s = get_free_disk_space()

Lua

Returns the free space of the memory card in kilobytes. c = get_exp_count

uBasic

c = get_exp_count()

Lua

Returns the number of images taken since the camera was switched on.

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c = get_jpg_count

uBasic

c = get_jpg_count()

Lua

Estimates the number of JPG images that still can be stored on the memory card. c = get_raw_count

uBasic

c = get_raw_count()

Lua

Estimates the number of RAW images that still can be stored on the memory card. set_raw_develop("filename")

(Lua only)

Develops the specified RAW file into JPEG on the next shot (section 4.5.5). If the parameter is omitted or nil, the pending development task is canceled. Development will be performed under the camera settings at the time of development. set_curve_state(n)

(Lua only)

Sets the development curve state for post-processing (section 4.3.8): 0 = None, 1 = Custom, 2 = +1EV, 3 = +2EV, 4 = AutoDR. raw_merge_start(operation)

(Lua only)

Starts a merging process for RAW files (section 4.5.6). Operation: 0 = sum, 1 = average. The following raw_merge_add() commands will contribute to the result. raw_merge_add("filename")

(Lua only)

Adds a single picture to a merged RAW image. Typically, this technique is used to reduce noise by averaging multiple shots (section 4.5.6). raw_merge_end()

(LUA only)

Completes the merge operation.

5.5.10 Camera state x = get_platform_id

uBasic

x = get_platform_id()

Lua

Returns a numeric value identifying the camera model. b = get_buildinfo()

(Lua only)

Returns a table with information about the CHDK build. Table fields can be addressed with the following keys: platform, platsub, version, build_number, build_date, build_time. x = autostarted

uBasic

x = autostarted()

Lua

Assigns a value of 1 resp. true to variable x if the script was started using the Autostart function (section 5.1).

5.5

a = get_autostart

uBasic

a = get_autostart()

Lua

set_autostart a

uBasic

set_autostart(a)

Lua

Retrieves or sets the state of the autostart function (section 5.1). 0 = autostart off. The user always starts scripts. 1 = autostart on. The next time the camera is switched on, the previously selected script will be executed. 2 = autostart once. The next time the camera is switched on, the previously selected script will be executed. The autostart state is then set back to 0. x = random l,u

uBasic

x = random(l,u)

Lua

Returns a random value within a range of l to u. m = get_mode

uBasic

Returns the camera mode: 0 = recording, 1 = playback, 2 = video. rec,vid,mode = get_mode()

Lua

Returns the camera mode: rec: true = recording, false = playback vid: true = video, false = photo mode: binary value representing the CHDK shooting mode number (section 5.6). r = set_capture_mode(i)

Lua

Sets the shooting mode. Parameter i specifies the CHDK shooting mode number. true is returned on success, false otherwise. See also section 5.5.12 for high-level access. is_capture_mode_valid(i)

Lua

Returns true if the parameter i is a valid CHDK shooting mode number (section 5.6) m = get_drive_mode

uBasic

m = get_drive_mode()

Lua

Returns the camera’s drive mode: 0 = single shot, 1 = series, > 1 = timer. m = get_IS_mode

uBasic

m = get_IS_mode()

Lua

Returns the mode of the image stabilizer (IS): 0 = continuous, 1 = when shooting, 2 = panning, 3 = off. m = get_movie_status

uBasic

m = get_movie_status()

Lua

Returns the current status of the video function: 0 = stop, 1 = pause, 4 = record, 5 = save. set_movie_status m

uBasic

set_movie_status(m)

Lua

Sets the current status of the video function: 1 = pause, 2 = restart, 3 = stop.

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s = get_shooting

uBasic

s = get_shooting()

Lua

Returns 1 resp. true if the camera is currently shooting or has prepared for shooting and is ready to shoot. x = get_propset

uBasic

x = get_propset()

Lua

Returns the type of operating system: 1 = VxWorks, 2 = DryOS. v = get_prop p

uBasic

v = get_prop(p)

Lua

set_prop p,v

uBasic

set_prop(p,v)

Lua

Retrieves and sets properties (section 5.6). b = get_vbatt

uBasic

b = get_vbatt()

Lua

Returns the battery voltage into variable b (in milliVolts). t = get_temperature p

uBasic

t = get_temperature(p)

Lua

Returns a temperature in degrees Celsius. The variable p specifies the probe: 0 = optics, 1 = CCD, 2 = battery. u = get_usb_power

uBasic

u = get_usb_power()

Lua

Sets variable u to a value > 0 if the camera detects a signal on the USB V+ pin. The returned value is the duration of the signal in units of 10 milliseconds. Typically, this command is used to implement advanced remote control functions (section 5.7.5). exit_alt

uBasic

exit_alt()

Lua

Leaves the CHDK-specific -mode (chapter 4). Please note that leaving the mode interrupts script execution. The script execution is resumed when the camera returns to -mode. shut_down

uBasic

shut_down()

Lua

The camera is switched off as soon as possible.

5.5.11 Low-level commands (Lua only) value = peek(address) Fetches memory content from the specified address. Note: If the address is outside the address range of the camera, the operating system will crash!

5.5

status = poke(address,value) Writes the specified value into memory at the specified address. Warning! Make sure you know exactly what you are doing. Writing wrong memory content could crash the operating system or even damage your camera! num = get_flash_params_count() Returns the number of parameters in flash memory. Canon cameras feature a nonvolatile flash memory to store data even when the battery is removed. The parameters in that memory are numbered starting from zero. str,num = get_parameter_data(id) Returns the value of a specified flash memory parameter. id identifies the parameter. The meaning of IDs may vary from platform to platform and is ongoing work. You can find a listing at http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Params. str returns the parameter value as a string, which may contain nonprintable control characters. num returns the parameter value as a number, provided the parameter length is not longer than 4 bytes. Otherwise nil is returned. bitand(x,y), bitor(x,y), bitxor(x,y), bitshl(x,y), bitshri(x,y), bishru(x,y), bitnot(x) These commands perform bitwise operations on integers: AND, OR, XOR, SHIFT LEFT, SHIFT RIGHT, SHIFT RIGHT UNSIGNED, NEGATION.

5.5.12 The library capmode.lua (Lua only) The library capmode.lua is contained in the full CHDK distribution and simplifies access to Canon capture modes such as AUTO, P, TV, AV, M, PORTRAIT, NIGHT, LANDSCAPE, ..., EASY, SCN_DIGITAL_MACRO, and SCN_STITCH. To use these commands, you must load the library with the following instruction: capmode = require("capmode")

capmode.mode_to_name Lua table that maps CHDK shooting mode numbers to mode names. capmode.name_to_mode Lua table that maps mode names to CHDK shooting mode numbers. index = capmode.get() Returns the CHDK shooting mode number (section 5.6). Returns 0 if the camera is in Replay mode. name = capmode.get_name() Returns the current shooting mode name (section 5.6). Returns PLAY if the camera is in Replay mode, UNKNOWN if the shooting mode is not known.

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id = capmode.get_canon() Returns the current Canon shooting mode ID (section 5.6). The values are ANDed bitwise with 0xFFFF so that negative values are returned as 65536-id. r = capmode.set(modeid) Sets the shooting mode specified in modeid. This can be a CHDK shooting mode number or a mode name. Returns true on success. index = capmode.valid(modeid) Returns the CHDK shooting mode number derived from modeid. It can be a CHDK shooting mode number or a mode name. nil is returned if modeid is not a valid shooting mode.

5.6

Property Cases

Both uBasic and Lua scripts feature commands for accessing so-called Property Cases. These are pieces of data used by the camera’s operating system. Each property case is identified by a property ID (a number > = 0). uBasic: get_prop id Lua: get_prop(id)

and uBasic: set_prop id value Lua: set_prop(id, value)

Unfortunately, the property IDs differ between the VxWorks and DryOS operating systems (section 2.2), as you can see in the table below. In consequence, a script accessing properties and developed for Digic II cameras will not run on most Digic III and all Digic IV cameras, and vice versa. This is okay if you write a script for your own camera, but if you plan to publish your script in the CHDK community you should identify which cameras are supported. If you want to make your script as widely applicable as possible, you should make it independent from the actual operating system. Under uBasic, you can use the command get_propset (section 5.5.10) to find out the operating system where your script is running. For example: x = get_propset if x = 1 then s = get_prop 205 else s = get_prop 206 endif

retrieves the shooting state of the camera under both operating systems.

5.6

Property Cases

129

A more elegant solution to this problem exists for the most important property cases under Lua. Your CHDK installation should already contain a library propcase.lua in folder /CHDK/LUALIB. This library maps symbolic names to property IDs and thus abstracts from the underlying operating system. The above query can be reformulated as: props = require "propcase" s = get_prop(props.SHOOTING)

You will find that many property cases shown in the table below are, in fact, covered by commands listed in section 5.5, so it’s rarely necessary to access properties directly. The query shown above can be expressed more simply as: s = get_shooting rem uBasic s = get_shooting() -- Lua

Not all of the property IDs and their values have been decoded yet—this is an ongoing community effort. In addition, not all findings have been verified for all camera types. So, the following table must be treated with some caution. Vx Works

DryOS

0

Lua

Description

SHOOTING_MODE

Shooting mode dial position

236

18 = video (11) 49 50

SHOOTING_MODE

Shooting mode dial position We list here only the most common shooting modes. A complete list of shooting modes is found in library modelist.lua in folder CHDK/LUALIB/. Some of the Canon shooting mode numbers (in front of the equality sign) differ from camera to camera. The latest findings are listed on http://chdk.wikia. com/wiki/Mode_dial_propcase_values. The values in parenthesis are the CHDK shooting mode numbers. –32768 = AUTO (1) –32764 = P (2) –32765 = Tv (3) –32766 = Av (4) –32767 = M (5) –32755 = PORTRAIT (6) –32757 = NIGHT (7) –32756 = LANDSCAPE (8) 2597 = VIDEO_STD (640/30fps) (9) 2598 = VIDEO_SPEED (320/60fps ) (10) 2599 = VIDEO_COMPACT (160/15fps) (11) –32246 = Stitch Assist –32248 = Digital Macro

130

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DryOS

Lua

Description

49

SHOOTING_MODE

Shooting mode dial position

50

We list here only the most common shooting modes. A complete list of shooting modes is found in library modelist.lua in folder CHDK/LUALIB/. Some of the Canon shooting mode numbers (in front of the equality sign) differ from camera to camera. The latest findings are listed on http://chdk.wikia. com/wiki/Mode_dial_propcase_values. The values in parenthesis are the CHDK shooting mode numbers. –32768 = AUTO (1) –32764 = P (2) –32765 = Tv (3) –32766 = Av (4) –32767 = M (5) –32755 = PORTRAIT (6) –32757 = NIGHT (7) –32756 = LANDSCAPE (8) 2597 = VIDEO_STD (640/30fps) (9) 2598 = VIDEO_SPEED (320/60fps ) (10) 2599 = VIDEO_COMPACT (160/15fps) (11) –32246 = Stitch Assist –32248 = Digital Macro

1

Photo effect

2

225

Sharpness for custom MyColors setting

3

55

Saturation for custom MyColors setting

4

59

Contrast for custom MyColors setting

227

Long time exposure 1 in “Night snapshot” scene mode or when exposure time is set to > = 1s, 0 otherwise.

5

268

6

102

White balance 0 = Auto 1 = Daylight 2 = Cloudy 3 = Tungsten 4 = Fluorescent 5 = Fluorescent H 6 = Flash 7 = Custom DRIVE_MODE

Drive mode 0 = Single 1 = Continuous >1 = Timer

5.6

Vx Works

DryOS

Lua

8

9

Hi-speed continuous mode 1 = OFF 0 = ON 155

METERING_MODE

11

Metering mode 0 = Eval 1 = Spot 2 = Center Macro 0 = Normal 1 = Macro 2 = Super Macro

6

12

Description

133

Focus mode 0 = Normal 1 = Macro 3 = Infinity 4 = Manual 5 = Super Macro FOCUS_MODE

Manual focus mode 0 = OFF 1 = ON

8

AF frame 0 = AiAF 1 = Center 2 = FaceDetect

13

12

AF mode 0 = Single 1 = Continuous

14

224

Delay of self-timer (msec)

15

121

FLASH_ADJUST_MODE

Flash adjust mode 0 = Auto 1 = Manual

16

143

FLASH_MODE

Flash mode 0 = Auto 1 = ON 2 = OFF

18

111

External flash state 0 = Absent 1 = Present and turned on 2 = Present and turned off

213

Red-eye mode 0 = OFF 1 = ON

Property Cases

131

132

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DryOS

Scripting

Lua

19

Description Flash slow sync 0 = OFF 1 = ON

20

64

FLASH_SYNC_CURTAIN

Flash sync curtain 0 = First 1 = Second

21

149

ISO_MODE

ISO value 0 = ISO-AUTO 1 = ISO-HI > 1 = actual ISO

23

57

QUALITY

Image quality 0 = Superfine 1 = Fine 2 = Normal

24

218

RESOLUTION

Image resolution 0=L 1 = M1 2 = M2 3 = M3 4=S 5 = RAW (on G9) 6 = Postcard 8=W

25 26

107 207

EV_CORRECTION_1 EV_CORRECTION_2

EV correction 96 units per stop. When setting EV correction, both properties must be set. A value larger than ±2 f-stops (192 units) is possible.

28

127

29

141

32

4

Exposure bracket range 96 units per stop. A value larger than ±2 f-stops (192 units) is possible.

34

113

Focus bracket range 2 = Smallest 1 = Medium 0 = Largest

36

29

Flash correction 96 units per f-stop, if Flash adjust mode = Auto. FLASH_MANUAL_OUTPUT

BRACKET_MODE

Manual flash output 0 = Low 1 = Medium 2 = Full if Flash adjust mode = Manual

Bracket mode 0 = NONE 1 = Exposure 2 = Focus

5.6

Vx Works

DryOS

Lua

Description

37

219

ORIENTATION_SENSOR

Orientation sensor 0 = Normal 270 = Left 90 = Right

21

Auto rotate 0 = OFF 1 = ON

220

Safety FE 0 = OFF 1 = ON

277

Safety MF 0 = OFF 1 = ON

Property Cases

39

26

USER_AV

User-selected Av 96 units per f-stop, 0 = f/1, positive = smaller, negative = wider.

40

264

USER_TV

User-selected Tv 96 units per f-stop, 0 = 1 sec, positive = shorter, negative = longer.

52

233

57

249

DIGITAL_ZOOM_POSITION

Digital zoom steps 0 = NONE >0 = number of steps. Digital zoom steps are camera-dependent.

58

94

DIGITAL_ZOOM_STATE

Digital zoom state 0 = OFF 1 = ON/default Other values are camera-dependent.

95

DIGITAL_ZOOM_POSITION

Digital zoom position In digital zoom steps

Stitch mode 0 = Left to right 1 = Right to left 2 = Bottom to top 3 = Top to bottom 4 = Top left > top right > bottom left > bottom right

63

5

65

245 252

SUBJECT_DIST1

Focus distance In millimeters

66

65

SUBJECT_DIST2

Same

254

AF light 1 = ON 2 = OFF

–1 indicates infinity

133

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Vx Works

DryOS

Lua

Description

67

115

Focus OK, ready to shoot 1 = Yes 0 = No

18

Number of green AF boxes after half-press 0 indicates a focusing problem.

68

23

AV

Effective Av 96 units per f-stop

69

262

TV

Effective Tv 96 units per f-stop

70

79

DELTA_SV

71

34

BV

Scene brightness value (Bv) 96 units per f-stop

72

246

SV_MARKET

User-selected Sv 96 units per f-stop

73

247

SV

Effective Sv 96 units per f-stop

74

AE lock 1 = ON 0 = OFF

76

103

OVEREXPOSURE

77

24 25

MIN_AV

78

122 ???

79

122 ???

FLASH_FIRE

Fire flash 0 = do not fire 1= fire

99

195

OPTICAL_ZOOM_POSITION

Zoom step Camera-dependent

100

269

WB_ADJ

Color temperature 1 unit = 6 °K

126

166

Video frames per second (FPS)

127

169

Video x resolution 0 = 160 1 = 320 2 = 640

Minimal available Av (max. Aperture)

Flash fired 0 = Not fired 1 = Fired

5.6

Vx Works

DryOS

Lua

128

Property Cases

135

Description Video y resolution 0 = 120 1 = 240 2 = 480

170

Video play mode 0 = LP 1 = SP

165

Time-lapse movie shoot interval In milliseconds

177

Intervalometer 0 = Intervalometer not active >0 = Number of current shots in sequence

178

117

181

105

212

File numbering 0 = Continuous 1 = Auto Reset DISPLAY_MODE

Display mode in record mode 0 = Show info 1 = Do not show info 2 = LCD off 3 = EVF Review info 0 = Off 2 = Detailed 3 = Focus check

184

Slideshow mode 0 = Do not repeat 1 = Repeat

185

Slide duration 1 = 3s, 2 = 4s, 3 = 5s, 4 = 6s, 5 = 7s, 6 = 8s, 7 = 9s, 8 = 10s, 9 = 15s, 10 = 30s

186

Print settings/DPOF mode 1 = Standard 2 = Overview 3 = Both

187

Print settings/DPOF date 0 = No date 1 = Date

188

Print settings/DPOF filenumber 0 = No filenumber 1 = Filenumber

190

66

Postcard mode date printing 0 = No date 1 = Date 2 = Date & time

136

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DryOS

Scripting

Lua

192

Description AF frame/flexizone x position

193

3

Autofocus lock 0 = Not active 1 = Active

194

92

Digital zoom area Used part of sensor with digital zoom. Can be used to determine digital zoom ratio.

196

61

Language setting (L) and video output mode (V) 256*L + V V: 1 = NTSC 2 = PAL L: (VxWorks/DryOS) 0/0 = English 1/1 = German 2/2 = French 3/3 = Dutch 4/4 = Danish 5/5 = Finnish 6/6 = Italian 7/7 = Norwegian –/8 = Ukrainian 8/9 = Swedish 9/10 = Spanish 10/11 = Simplified Chinese 11/12 = Russian 12/13 = Portuguese 13/14 = Greek 14/15 = Polish 15/16 = Czech 16/17 = Hungarian 17/18 = Turkish 18/19 = Traditional Chinese 19/20 = Korean 20/21 = Thai 21/22 = Arabic –/23 = Romanian 22/24 = Japanese

200 205

Selected movie mode 206

SHOOTING

Ready to shoot Changes to 1 when camera is ready to shoot (focus and exposure set); changes back to 0 when shutter closes.

5.6

Vx Works

DryOS

206

184

Lua

Property Cases

Description “MyColors” mode 0 = OFF 1 = Vivid 2 = Neutral 3 = B&W 4 = Sepia 5 = Positive film 6 = Lighter skin tone 7 = Darker skin tone 8 = Vivid red 9 = Vivid green 10 = Vivid Blue 11 = Custom

207 208 209 210

Red, green, blue, skin tone for the “Custom” MyColors settting. A larger value means darker.

218

Custom timer continuous Number of shots to be taken

219

221

223

Self-timer setting 0 = 2 sec 1 = 10 sec 2 = Custom continuous

63

Number of continuous shots taken last time

208

IS_FLASH_READY

Flash ready 0 = NO 1 = YES

223

Microphone recording frequency 0 = 11.025 kHz 1 = 22.050 kHz 2 = 44.100 kHz

227

Microphone level 1–5 = low - high

228

Microphone wind protection 0 = OFF 1 = ON

229

145

IS_MODE

Image stabilizer (IS) 0 = Continuous 1 = Shoot only 2 = Panning 3 = Off

137

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Vx Works

DryOS

230

60

Converter Indicates whether a wide angle or teleconverter is mounted. 0 = NONE 1 = Wide 2 = Tele

91

Digital teleconverter mode Indicates whether a digital teleconverter is active. 0 = OFF >0 = ON

280

RAW+JPG 0 = OFF 1 = ON

290

iContrast setting 0 = OFF 1 = ON

293

Servo AF 0 = OFF 1 = ON

294

296

Lua

ASPECT_RATIO

Description

Widescreen Indicates whether the camera is switched to the 16:9 aspect ratio. 0 = OFF 1 = ON ND filter Indicates whether the ND filter is active. 0 = OFF 1 = ON

Not every entry in the table is valid for all CHDK-supported cameras. You should check specific property cases for your camera before using them. You can do this with the help of the script propdump.lua, which you will find on the book CD. Execute the script once (section 5.1) to create a first Property Dump. Then modify the camera setting and execute the script a second time. By setting parameter I, you can compare the second property dump with the first one. The differences between them will be displayed on the screen and give you a hint as to which property relates to the changed camera setting.

5.7

PRESENTATION OF NEGATIVE VALUES IN UBASIC When reading properties with the uBasic command get_prop, negative values are represented as so-called 2-complements. Depending on the storage size of the property (1 byte or 2 byte), either the value 216+x or 28+x is displayed. Example: A value of 65500 is displayed. The real value is –36: 216+(–36) = 65536–36 = 65500.

In the table we have printed the property cases that can be modified by a script in bold letters. All other properties are read-only, or modifying them has not yet been tested. In general, however, it is better to change the camera settings by simulating key presses (section 5.1). Changing camera settings by setting property values can be sometimes problematic because only part of the camera may be affected by a specific property case. For instance, a property case may influence the camera optics while leaving the user interface untouched. This example is a property-based version of the script flashoff.lua from section 5.1: -- flashof2.lua by Berthold Daum --[[ @title Flash off ]] props = require "propcase" set_prop(props.SHOOTING,2) exit_alt()

Here, the flash is switched off by assigning a value of 2 to property 143 (property 16 on DIGIC II). The script works all right—the flash is indeed switched off. But the display does not reflect the new state. It still indicates that the flash is in AUTO mode. When using the camera in unattended mode (e.g., in an RC-controlled vehicle), nobody cares. But personally, I prefer a display that truly reflects the state of the camera, so I would choose the original version of the script as shown in section 5.1.

5.7

Example scripts

Scripting is a popular topic on the CHDK web pages. Most of the scripts deal with timers, bracketing, or motion detection. Timers are typically used for operating the camera autonomously (e.g., from a kite or a balloon) or

Example scripts

139

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for creating time-lapse series, very often time-lapse movies. Bracketing scripts are used for creating High Dynamic Range (HDR) photos or for creating images with extended depth of field via focus stacks. Finally, motion detection is used for all kinds of purposes: lightning photography, surveillance, wildlife, and more. For example, I found it good fun to set up the camera at a party, load a motion detection script, and let the camera do the work. The resulting pictures are quite different from pictures taken manually: full of action and often hilarious. In the following sections, we will present some scripts from these areas. All of them aim to be as independent of platform and camera model as possible, but you should first test them with your own camera to see if they are suitable. The main reason for presenting these scripts is so that you can learn something about scripting. After playing with the scripts found here or on http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/UBASIC/Scripts, you may be able to create your own scripts and draw even more benefit from the CHDK.

5.7.1 Time machines Why do you need a script shooting a series of photos? Doesn’t your camera have a configurable series function? Of course it has. But you probably have noticed that this function has its limitations. First, the number of shots is limited to 10. You may have an initial delay before the series begins but no delay between pictures, and exposure and focus are only measured once and not for each image. The latter can be a problem if the series function allows for long series with customizable delays. For example, during a long series, the illumination may change due to the sunset or a cloud hiding the sun. There are quite a few reasons to look at time-lapse scripts—and in fact, most of the CHDK scripts available on the web are for time-lapse purposes. We will present two scripts here. One simply takes a predefined number of shots with a predefined delay between each shot. It does this very precisely, even taking different shutter and image processing times into account. So, it will even keep to the schedule when exposure times become quite long. The other reads a predefined schedule from a text file and fires the camera at precisely the defined points in time. Such schedules are most useful for unmanned operations like balloon or kite photography, but they need to be prepared on a PC because the schedule must be supplied as a text file. Both scripts are written in Lua because it is easier to get a precise timing in that language. A third script (also written in Lua) deals only indirectly with time series; it is used to rename images. That might be necessary for some time-lapse moviemakers. Here we also have the opportunity to try out Lua for file management.

5.7

Accurate time lapse The Accurate Time Lapse script first defines a few parameters. n specifies the total number of shots to be taken. The delay between the shots is computed as (((m*60)+s)*10+t)*100 from the parameters m (minutes), s (seconds), and t (tenth of a second). The result is the total delay in milliseconds. Two more parameters allow control of focusing and display. If parameter f is set to 1, the camera will focus only once and then leave the focus unchanged. Otherwise, the autofocus process will be performed before each shot. If parameter d is set to 0, the display is darkened to save battery life. --[[ @title Accurate time lapse @param n Number of frames @default n 10 @param m Delay min @default m 5 @param s Delay sec @default s 0 @param t Delay 1/10 sec @default t 0 @param f Focus 0 Each 1 Start @default f 0 @param d Display 0 off 1 on @default d 1 --]]

In Lua, functions must be defined before they are invoked. So, we start with function definition first. Because there is no built-in command to set the display mode, we need to select it by simulated key presses. Since we cannot be sure about the initial state, we simply check after each key press to see whether we have reached the desired state. This is done with the function get_prop() that retrieves the respective property case (section 5.6). Instead of a numeric property ID, we use the constant props.DISPLAY_MODE. The table props is defined in library propcase.lua, which is part of the CHDK installation and which we have loaded with require("propcase"). The advantage of this technique is that it is platform-independent. The numeric Property Case IDs, in contrast, are different for each operating system. The sleep() function pauses the script for 100 msec to give the camera some time to do its work. The definition of function idiv() and the pcall() expression provide compatibility with the PC-based debug environment (section 5.8). idiv() performs an integer division. Under the CHDK, the results of idiv() are identical to those obtained with the operator /; but in a floating-point

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environment such as a PC, the operator / denotes a floating-point division. Because an integer division is what we want, and because it is more convenient to debug scripts on a PC, we use idiv() instead of / throughout the script. function idiv(a,b) return (a-(a % b))/b end pcall(function() require("chdklib") end ) props = require("propcase") function set_display_mode(mode) while get_prop( props.DISPLAY_MODE) ~= mode do click("display") sleep(100) end end

The implementation of the next function, sleep_until(), could be trivial: simply calling the sleep() command and specifying the interval between now and the target time. But here, we want to do a bit more and allow the user to abort the script with the SET key. By doing so, we have the ability to restore the focus and display settings, which we cannot do if the user aborts with the shutter button. Therefore, we use the command wait_click() instead and specify the interval (sleep_time) as a timeout. When this timeout happens, function is_pressed() returns “no_key”. We then return false because the user does not want to abort. If the user clicks the SET key, we return true. For any other key, we loop around and wait for the remaining time. function sleep_until(ticks) repeat local sleep_time = ticks - get_tick_count() if sleep_time Bracketing in Continuous Mode>Subj.Dist.Bracket Value (MF)) uses an increment (in mm) between the different shots of a series. This increment increases in proportion to the current focusing distance. If you specify 100 mm as a bracket value and start at a distance of 100 cm, the camera will shoot a series of photos with 100cm, 110cm, 121cm, 133.1cm, … This is not bad, but it would be better to increment the focusing distance based on the actual Depth of Field (DOF). This range increases with the focal distance and not at all in linear proportions. In addition, the DOF depends on the aperture and the focal length. A script can utilize the DOF and produce an optimized series of photos. The CHDK is able to compute the total DOF, the near limit, and the far limit. These values can be shown on the display (section 4.2.8), but they are also accessible in scripts. Unfortunately, we cannot use them in this script. When the camera is in normal focusing mode, values for the near and far limits that would fall into the macro range are returned as –1 (infinity). And vice versa—when the camera is in macro mode, values outside the macro range are returned as –1. However, we want a script that covers the full range of distances from close-up to infinity. Fortunately, it is quite easy to compute the far limit for each subject distance. Given the subject distance f and the hyperfocal distance y, the far limit g is computed as: g = y*f / (y-f)

provided that f is smaller than y. The hyperfocal distance is easily obtained from the CHDK with: y = get_hyp_dist

When starting at close range, we can therefore compute the far limit g for each shot and use this value as the new subject distance for the next shot. We stop as soon as we reach a specified end value or infinity. Working this way, we get a series of shots with nicely overlapping sharpness ranges while keeping the number of images at a minimum.

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focal distance 1

focal distance 2

focal distance 3

far 1 far 2

DoF 1 DoF 2

near 1

DoF 3

near 2 near 3 total DoF of stacked images

Figure 5-3 Adaptive focus stacking with the distance settings depending on the DOF.

The following script accepts four parameters: two for the near limit and two for the far limit of the composite sharpness range. Each limit is described by a base value (in millimeters) and a factor (1, 10, 100). You don’t have to click 1,000 times for a distance of one meter. Instead, you dial a base value of 10 and a factor of 100, which is done with just a few clicks. The far limit factor, in addition, allows dialing in infinity directly. The default range is set to (20 cm - infinity). Because there are no timing constraints for this script, we have used uBasic to implement it. @title Adaptive Focus Stacking @param a close distance (mm) @default a 2 @param b factor (0=1,1=10,2=100) @default b 2 @param c far distance (mm) @default c 5 @param d factor (0=1,1=10,2=100,3=inf) @default d 3

In the following instructions, we make sure that no parameters are invalid. Invalid parameters (negative or zero distance) are set to their default values. rem consolidate parameters if a < 1 then a = 2 if c < 1 then c = 5

Then the script computes the true limits in millimeters by multiplying the base values with their factors. Only in the case of infinity do we directly assign the value of –1 that represents infinity.

5.7

rem compute distances in mm select b case 0; case 1;a = a * 10 case_else a = a * 100 end_select select d case 0; case 1;c = c * 10 case 2;c = c * 100 case_else c = -1 rem infinite end_select

The next instructions are used to turn the automatic flash off. Flash illumination is not really desirable for DOF stacking. In addition, the flash operation can make the script behave unpredictably because of the time needed by the camera to recharge the flash. So, we store the current flash mode into variable m and then call subroutine fmode. The desired flash mode (2 for off) is set to transfer variable M. rem turn off flash m = get_flash_mode M = 2 gosub "fmode"

Then, the shutter button is half-pressed. This is done to determine the correct exposure. If the camera is in autofocus mode, the focus distance is also determined. The subroutine prep waits until the camera is ready to shoot. The focus distance is retrieved and kept in variable z so that we can later restore the focus. We also retrieve the hyperfocal distance and keep it in variable y. As a final preparation step, we lock the autofocus. During the following shots, the autofocus facility will not be used. This includes the AF light, too, which will not be illuminated. press "shoot_half" rem focus and exposure gosub "prep" z = get_focus y = get_hyp_dist print "Prior distance:",z set_aflock 1

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Now we can start shooting. The current focal distance is kept in variable f which is set to the near limit (parameter a). The shooting distance is printed on the screen to inform the user about the shooting progress. The focus is set and the script is paused for a while to give the camera some time to adjust the optics. The amount of time needed may depend on the camera model. After this pause, the camera is fired. Then we wait until the camera has processed the image (subroutine wait). If the subject distance f was set to infinity or is larger than the hyperfocal distance, we are done; a longer focus is not possible or does not result in better sharpness. Otherwise, the DOF far limit of the current shot is determined with the above formula. This value is used as the new focal length: rem DOF series f = a n = 0 do if f < 0 then print "dist: inf" else print "dist:",f endif set_focus f sleep 3000 click "shoot_full" n = n + 1 gosub "wait" if f < 0 or f >= y then goto "exit" f = y*f / (y-f) if f >= 65535 then f = -1 until f > c and c >= 0

After completing all shots, the camera is reset to its previous state. The shutter button (which was still half-pressed) and the AF lock are released, the camera is reset to its previous focal distance, and the flash is switched back to its previous mode. Finally, we print a short summary and play a timer sound to wake up the user. The wait_click allows the user 30 seconds to read the screen: :exit set_aflock 0 release "shoot_half" set_focus z M = m

5.7

gosub "fmode" print "done:",n,"shots" playsound 3 rem timer sound wait_click 30000 end

The subroutine fmode checks the current flash mode. If it is not the desired flash mode (passed in transfer variable M), it fires the necessary key presses to advance to the next item in the flash menu (section 5.1): :fmode r = get_flash_mode while r M click "right" click "right" click "set" r = get_flash_mode wend return

The subroutine prep is used to wait until the camera is ready to shoot—i.e., until the command get_shooting returns 1. The subroutine wait works the other way around; it waits until the camera has processed the current shot: :prep do r = get_shooting until r = 1 return :wait do r = get_shooting until r = 0 return

A few words are necessary about script usage. First, cameras that support manual focusing must be switched to manual focusing mode. For other cameras, no action is required. If your camera has a diaphragm, you should use an aperture two f-stops behind the open aperture. This will increase the DOF for each shot and thus reduce the number of shots that need to be taken. When shooting with a fully open aperture (and this is always the case for cameras that have only an ND filter), a large number of images might be necessary to cover the

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entire specified area of sharpness. This is particularly true for macro and telephoto work. Make sure you have enough space on your memory card and use fully loaded batteries. Figure 5-4 Breuburg Castle, Germany. A picture like this cannot be obtained in a single shot with a camera that has an ND filter but no diaphragm. The Adaptive Focus Stacking script was used to shoot a series of differently focused images. The settings a=45, b=1, d=3 resulted in a focal range of 45 cm to infinity. The six shots were then composed in CombineZP. Some retouching was required for the clouds that were moving fast between the shots, resulting in a staggered effect.

5.7.3 Motion detection Motion detection is one of the great features of the CHDK. This feature makes use of the camera’s hardware motion detection facilities. The camera provides such facilities for its own purposes: to enable image stabilization and to adjust exposure time in regard to subject movements. The CHDK uses them to trigger events—in most cases, to fire a shot. But if you like, you can play a sound instead. CHDK motion detection has many useful applications, such as lightning photography, wildlife and sports, surveillance, and more.

Basics Motion detection is enabled by the CHDK command md_detect_motion. uBasic: md_detect_motion a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p

Lua: h = md_detect_motion(a, b, c, d, e, f, g, nil, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p)

5.7

The large number of parameters indicates that this command is highly configurable. Let’s see what these parameters mean: a,b

Number of columns and rows the picture is divided into. By dividing the picture into cells, motion can be detected in a particular image part (see variables i, j, k, l, m). A fine grid enables the camera to detect the motion of small objects, but the camera will also react more slowly to movements.

c

Color component observed. 0 = U channel (chroma, green-blue) in the YUV-color model 1 = Y channel (luma) in the YUV-color model 2 = V channel (chroma, red-green) in the YUV-color model 3 = R channel (red) in the RGB color model 4 = G channel (green) in the RGB color model 5 = B channel (blue) in the RGB color model

d

Timeout in milliseconds. After the specified time, the next uBasic command will be executed even if no motion is detected.

e

Time interval (msec) between frames compared. Increase this value to detect slow movements.

f

Threshold value. If a change in at least one cell is larger than this threshold value, an event is fired.

g

Grid display on the screen. 0 = no cell grid is drawn 1 = cell grid is drawn

h

Return variable. Contains the number of cells where motion was detected.

i

Masking mode 0 = nothing masked 1 = everything inside of (j,k,l,m) 2 = everything outside of (j,k,l,m)

j,k

First column and row of mask

l,m

Last column and row of mask

n

Shutter mode 0 = leave shooting to script 1 = immediate shoot without focusing (fastest shooting option) 9 = don’t release shutter on immediate shoot (leave that to script) Under Lua, n = 0 should always be used. Lua scripts are fast enough and don’t require this work-around for the slow uBasic interpreter.

o

Sub-sampling. Analyze only every o-th pixel. Higher values improve speed but reduce accuracy.

p

Delay in milliseconds before triggering starts. Should be zero for lightning photography. Otherwise, allow some delay for calibration.

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An additional command allows for a finer analysis of the detected motion: md_get_cell_diff i,j,k k = md_get_cell_diff(i,j)

Basic Lua

Here, the variable k will contain the change in the i-th cell and the j-th row. The value of k will range from 0 to 255. This command could be used, for example, after the command md_detect_motion in order to take a shot when the detected motion has stopped.

The script The following script example, written in Lua, is a universal script for motion detection. Of course, on the Internet—and in particular, on the CHDK website—you will find many similar scripts, and I’ve drawn some inspiration from a number of them. All of these scripts are based on the powerful CHDK command md_detect_motion, which we have discussed above. This command alone has a dozen parameters. Add additional parameters for prefocusing and timing, and you end up with 15+ parameters. This is anything but practical when working in the field—even when working with parameter sets as explained in section 5.1. In the field, it is better to have a selection of clearly named and predefined programs for different scene types, such as “Lightning”, “Fast Motion”, “Small Objects”, “Macro”, etc., that you simply select from a list. This is exactly what the following script provides. The most commonly used scene programs are already predefined, but you can easily add additional scene programs by extending the script. When running the script, simply select the required scene program using the RIGHT, LEFT, and FUNC/ SET keys. By selecting the scene program named “Parameters”, you will still be able to control the script via individual parameters. Now let’s see how this script is constructed. First, the parameters are defined in the usual way. We have chosen the parameter names so that they match the names used in the description of the command md_detect_ motion (see previous page). So, we only have to explain the additional parameters. s

This parameter can be used in combination with any scene program. The asterisk in front of the parameter description indicates this. When set to 0, the script will run in test mode—meaning that no pictures are taken. The value of 1, in contrast, means full action.

v

This parameter can also be used in combination with any scene program (indicated by the asterisk in front of the parameter description). The parameter is used for specifying a pause after each shot (in seconds). The value –1 has a special meaning: the script pauses until the user presses the DISP button.

5.7

t

Specifies the duration (in seconds) for video sequences or time series when the camera is switched to video or series mode.

u

This parameter is used for focus control: –1 = Prefocus before motion is detected using autofocus (AF). 0 = Use autofocus immediately before each shot that is taken. >0 = Prefocus with a fixed distance before motion is detected. u specifies the distance in centimeters. This can be used in combination with most scene programs. Please note that cameras with manual focus mode must first be switched to this mode when using focusing by distance.

z

This parameter is used for backlight control: 0 = The display backlight is completely switched off. 1 = Backlight is switched off but is illuminated again after a shot for image review. 2 = Backlight remains switched on.

We have also added an additional value option to parameter f (threshold or sensitivity). If f is negative, the threshold will be dynamically derived from the brightness value measured by the camera. Even then it is possible to influence how the threshold is derived from the brightness value: the more negative f is, the smaller the threshold will be, and the more sensitivity motion detection will register. --[[ @title Motion detection @param s *Test(0=test,1=real) @default s 1 @param v *Pause(s)(-1=DISP) @default v 0 rem Only for program >Parameters< @param a # columns @default a 4 @param b # rows @default b 4 @param c Channel(0U,1Y,2V,3R,4G,5B) @default c 1 @param d Timeout(s) @default d 55 @param e Detection interval(ms) @default e 1 @param f Threshold(0-255, 0=cm) @default u -1 @param z Bcklght(0=off 1=revie 2=on) @default z 2 ]] function idiv(a,b) return (a-(a%b))/b end pcall(function() require("chdklib") end )

The definition of the parameters in the script header section is followed by the definition of function idiv() and a pcall() expression that we already have seen in earlier scripts. These expressions allow testing and debugging the script on a PC (section 5.8). Next are the definitions of some basic functions needed by the main motion detection script: function adapt(thresh) if thresh >= 0 then return thresh end local r = get_bv96() local w = 48 + thresh - idiv(r,20) if w < 12 then w = 12 elseif w > 36 then w = 36 end return w end

5.7

The function adapt() is used to compute the threshold (sensitivity) depending on the scene brightness value measured by the camera. We get this value with the CHDK function get_bv96(). The following formula is heuristic and was found acceptable during trials. It may be changed if required. The resulting threshold value in variable w is then clipped between 12 and 36 and returned. If the incoming threshold has a positive value, it is simply returned—no dynamic shareholding is wanted in this case: function focus() if u 0 then set_focus(u * 10) end repeat until get_shooting() end

Function focus() is used for prefocusing or for immediate focusing. It works by pressing the shutter button halfway. This is also done in the case of dynamic shareholding (f0), this distance is set. After all these preparations, the function waits until the camera is ready to shoot: function series(duration) press("shoot_full") sleep(duration) release("shoot_full") end function video(duration) click("shoot_full") sleep(duration) click("shoot_full") end

Triggering a time series or a video clip works a bit differently from taking a photo. For a time series, the shutter button must be pressed, then after a while released again. For a video clip, the shutter button must be clicked (pressed and released), and after a while it must be clicked again:

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function pause(duration) if duration < 0 then repeat print("Continue: DISP") wait_click(3000) until is_pressed("display") else print(duration.."s pause") sleep(duration*1000) end end function wait() repeat until not get_shooting() end function wake() release("shoot_half") click("set") click("set") end

The function pause() waits for the specified time. If a negative duration is specified, it waits for the DISP button to be clicked. The function wait() simply waits until the camera has completed the processing of a shot. When this happens, the function get_shooting() returns false. The function wake() is invoked in the case of a timeout when no motion is detected. It releases the shutter button so that it can be half-pressed again to update focus and exposure. Then it clicks the FUNC/SET button twice, which does nothing except prevent the camera from falling asleep. Now we can start with the execution of the main script. The first step is to define the different scene programs. Here we use a powerful feature of Lua: the ability to store functions in tables. Each scene program is represented by a function. When you select a scene program, the corresponding function will be invoked and will set the script parameters as required. We will explain the predefined scene programs and their parameters at the end of the script. There are two tables: the first contains the scene program names (labels); the second contains the corresponding functions. It is just a matter of adding additional labels and functions to extend this script with additional scene programs:

5.7

-- Program definition labels = {"Parameters", "Lightning", "Fast", "Small Objects", "Macro", "Hat" -- add additional labels here } programs = { function() --Parameters end, function() --Lightning a,b,c,d, e,f, i,o,p,t,z = 4,4,1,55,1,10,0,6,0,2,1 if u == 0 then u = -1 end end, function() --Fast a,b,c,d, e,f, i,j,k,l,m,o,p,t,z = 6,4,1,30,1,-5,1,2,2,5,3,6,1,5,2 if u == 0 then u = -1 end end, function() --Small Objects a, b, c,d, e, f, i,j,k,l,m,o,p,t,z = 12,12,1,55,50,-1,1,2,2,11,11,1, 1,5,2 if u < 0 then u = 0 end end, function() –Macro a,b,c,d, e, f, i,j,k,l,m,o,p,t,z = 5,5,3,55,10,-1,1,3,3,3,3,6,1,5,2 if u == 0 then u = -1 end end, function() --Hat a,b,c,d, e, f, i,o, p,t,z = 1,1,1,55,10,24,0,12,5,5,0 if u < 0 then u = 0 end if v < 1 then v = 5 end pause(v) end --[[add additional program implementations here]] }

After we have populated the two tables with labels and functions, we can now allow the user to select one of them. The number of the scene program is stored in the variable program. The currently selected program label

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is printed onto the display. The script then waits for a key press with wait_ click(). Depending on the key clicked (RIGHT or LEFT), the value of program is decremented or incremented. When program becomes too small, it restarts at the largest program number (wraparound), and similarly, when it becomes too large, it restarts at 1. This whole section is executed in a loop that is only left when FUNC/SET is pressed. Even when wait_click() times out after 10 seconds, the script will loop around and wait for more key presses. Finally, we invoke the function corresponding to the selected program. This function will assign new values to the script parameters and will thus configure the script for the selected scene program: -- Program selection program = 1 repeat cls() print("Program:LEFT/RIGHT/SET") print(">"..labels[program].."

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